Commonwealth v. Read — Trial ArchiveChris Albert
Testimony Impact
Chris Albert is a Canton town selectman and lifelong Canton resident whose brother Brian Albert owned 34 Fairview Road, where O'Keefe's body was found. He was present at the Waterfall Bar & Grille on the night of January 28, 2022, and testified about O'Keefe's appearance, Karen Read's behavior at the bar, and conditions when the group departed around midnight. His testimony placed him at the center of the Albert family's social network, while cross-examination focused on his family's extensive ties to Canton and Boston law enforcement and the whereabouts of his son Colin that night.
Challenges & Responses
What attorneys challenged during examination and how the witness responded.
Yannetti challenged Albert on multiple fronts: his timeline of departure from the Waterfall conflicted with surveillance footage; he had failed to tell investigators his son Colin was at 34 Fairview the night O'Keefe died; and his family's deep ties to Canton and Boston law enforcement — including a brother who was a Canton detective, a brother who was a retired Boston police officer, and a wife whose close friend is the lead investigator's sister — were systematically laid out to establish bias.
Notable Quotes From The Record
“So he asked me if I had any plans that night, and I said, unfortunately it's Friday and I'm working pretty much till close. And I said, but it's my nephew's birthday and I know a bunch of people were heading out and I was planning on meeting up with them later when I got out of work.”
Establishes the social context for the evening — a casual gathering for a nephew's birthday, not a planned event with O'Keefe.
“the defendant came in with a glass underneath her jacket, and I thought that was kind of funny and I laughed about it and made a comment about it.”
Documents Albert's observation that Read brought a glass containing clear liquid into the Waterfall; he later assumed it was some sort of vodka drink.
“Just — it was snowing. It was cold out. It just started snowing. The ground had like a light coat.”
Establishes weather conditions at the time the group left the bar — snow had just begun, ground lightly covered.
“I was in shock. I was like, 'What are you talking about? What do you mean?' And then I jumped up, and she's like, 'Let's — we have to go over. Let's go over to your brother's house.'”
Documents Albert's reaction to learning of O'Keefe's death and the immediate gathering at 34 Fairview the next morning.
“I wouldn't even have thought about it.”
When asked whether he'd have had a problem with Karen Read driving, Albert confirms she showed no signs of intoxication — undermining the prosecution's theory.
“Mr. Nebbercracker.”
Albert supplied the nickname, denied Yannetti's conflict premise, and later described it as a joke that O'Keefe shared.
“No.”
Albert's response when asked whether he was a selectman on January 28, 2022 — rebutting the implication that his political position influenced the investigation from the start.
“Once he found out I was selling my house, he decided that it might be a good idea for him to sell his house. His kids were getting older. So I gave him my real estate guy's number— the guy who sold my house.”
Albert testified that after learning Chris was selling his house, Brian decided it might be a good idea to sell his house because Brian's children were getting older, and Chris gave him his real estate agent's number.
“No.”
Albert's answer when asked if he observed any injuries on Colin Albert's face that night — directly addressing the defense theory that a confrontation occurred at 34 Fairview.
“John asked what kind of candy Dylan liked, and John brought Dylan a bag of candy and just said, 'Hey, I was just kidding.'”
Reframes the Nebbercracker nickname as a warm joke between friends rather than the hostile characterization suggested during cross-examination.
Key Moments
- Albert testified that he observed Karen Read enter the Waterfall carrying a glass of wine concealed under her jacket, which he found amusing — a detail the prosecution used to suggest she had been drinking before arriving at the bar.
- On cross-examination, Yannetti established that Albert's son Colin was not home when Chris arrived that night but was instead at 34 Fairview Road — a fact Albert acknowledged he never disclosed to Trooper Michael Proctor during his February 10th interview.
- Yannetti revealed that one of Chris Albert's wife's closest friends is Courtney Proctor, the sister of lead investigator Michael Proctor, establishing a direct personal connection between the Albert family and the MSP detective running the case.
- Yannetti used the Nebbercracker nickname, lawn-related texts, and photographs to argue antagonism between the families. Albert denied that the nickname arose from a conflict with Colin or that Colin had engaged in the asserted conduct, said O'Keefe had asked the family to watch his house, and on redirect described the nickname as a joke O'Keefe shared.
- Albert's account of his departure time from the Waterfall was challenged by surveillance footage, which showed he left later than the 12:05–12:10 AM window he stated on direct examination.