Commonwealth v. Read — Trial Archive
Person Brian Higgins Trial 1ATF agent who testified about the Fairview Road gathering and his texts with Karen Read ← All People
🗣️ Witness · ATF

Brian Higgins

Courtroom still of Brian Higgins.

ATF agent who testified about the Fairview Road gathering and his texts with Karen Read

Trial 1
1,492 lines 5 proceedings

About

Brian Higgins testified that he joined a gathering at 34 Fairview Road after an evening at the Waterfall, stayed briefly, and did not see John O’Keefe or Karen Read there. He said he saw nothing by the roadside when he drove away. The Commonwealth introduced his text exchanges with O’Keefe and Read. Higgins said he had kept his messages with Read private. He testified that she kissed him as he left O’Keefe’s house after a Patriots game and that he interpreted the kiss as romantic; he denied a sexual relationship or any further intimate contact with her. Defense counsel questioned Higgins about his relationships with the Albert family, his access to the Canton Police Department, and phone records showing calls with Brian Albert. Higgins denied speaking with Albert around 2:22 a.m. He testified that he extracted selected text threads for investigators but did not preserve other exchanges with members of the Albert family. He acknowledged receiving a phone-preservation order that was never lifted in writing and later discarding his phone and a damaged SIM card. He denied factory-resetting the phone and said he discarded it after learning that a request for the physical device had been denied.

Trial Record (5)

Trial 1 First Criminal Trial Apr 29, 2024 – Jul 1, 2024 5 proceedings

Day 17

Direct Brian Higgins - Direct Examination Brian Higgins Adam Lally 5 highlights 436 lines spoken
Summary

Brian Higgins described his January 28-29 movements, his brief time at 34 Fairview Road, and text-message exchanges with John O'Keefe and Karen Read that were admitted into evidence.

Highlights (5)
Quote

“I was basically trying to suss out what the intentions were of the defendant.”

Higgins described his stated purpose in repeatedly questioning the nature of his communications with Read.

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Quote

“Absolutely not. And, referring to at my residence when she stopped by, it was just I was very uncomfortable.”

Higgins denied any sexual relationship or further intimate contact with Read.

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Show 1 more
Key Moment

Higgins testified about his January text communications and one-on-one contact with Karen Read, including his account that there was no sexual relationship between them.

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Cross Brian Higgins Cross-Examination: Phone Records, Access, and Phone Disposal Brian Higgins Alan Jackson 3 highlights 897 lines spoken
Summary

Brian Higgins was questioned about his relationships, January 29 phone and keycard records, and the extraction and later disposal of his phone.

Highlights (3)
Quote

“I did not have a 22-second call with Brian Albert. There was no conversation.”

Higgins disputed the defense's characterization of the phone-record entry while acknowledging the records elsewhere.

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Quote

“He walked me through on how I could pull the text string with John O'Keefe and the defendant. He walked me through the process, how to use the machine.”

Higgins described how he extracted selected text strings from his phone.

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Day 18

Cross Brian Higgins Cross-Examination on Phone Disposal Brian Higgins David Yannetti 2 highlights 62 lines spoken
Summary

Brian Higgins acknowledged disposing of his phone after a preservation order and not preserving other Albert-family text threads.

Highlights (2)
Quote

“That's not accurate. I did not tell them that. And I also didn't tell them that I saved texts with my father.”

Higgins directly disputed the account of his earlier statement presented during cross-examination.

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Key Moment

Higgins testified that he cut up or broke the SIM card, disposed of it and the phone in a dumpster on a military base, and did not preserve text messages with the Alberts.

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Redirect Brian Higgins Redirect Examination Brian Higgins Adam Lally 3 highlights 75 lines spoken
Summary

Higgins addressed his communications with Ms. Read, January 29 records, and his later disposal of his phone before denying he saw John O'Keefe by Fairview Road.

Highlights (3)
Quote

“To be honest with you, I mean, on a personal level, I kind of keep things to myself. I was a little embarrassed. I wasn't really proud of them. It kind of maybe didn't show me in a good light with respects that I was John's friend.”

Higgins explained why he said he had not discussed the text messages with others.

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Quote

“Because it was beaten. It was broken up. And I had already had a new phone. The only explanation is I threw it away. That's it.”

Higgins gave his explanation for disposing of his phone after the subpoena and hearing.

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Quote

“I've spent my whole life between being a firefighter, working in the profession that I work now, being a tactical medic. If I had seen John O'Keefe on the side of the road, I would have done something to make a difference.”

Higgins emphatically denied seeing O'Keefe while leaving Fairview Road.

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Recross Brian Higgins - Recross Brian Higgins David Yannetti 3 highlights 22 lines spoken
Summary

Higgins was questioned about his phone-change timeline, preserved texts with Karen Read, and the preservation order; keycard logs entered as Exhibit No. 105.

Highlights (3)
Quote

“No. What I testified to was the phone number was what I was concerned about primarily.”

Higgins distinguished his stated concern about the phone number from defense counsel's suggested motive for disposing of the phone.

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Key Moment

Higgins testified that the phone number, rather than the call from an investigation target, was his primary concern; he later acknowledged changing his number and getting a new phone on September 29, 2022, before receiving the preservation order the next day.

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Locations Touched By This Testimony

34 Fairview Road 3 procs Canton PD Sally Port 3 procs Canton Police Department 3 procs Waterfall Bar & Grille 3 procs C.F. McCarthy's 1 proc