Commonwealth v. Read — Trial Archive
Person Colin Albert Trial 1Witness who testified about his visit to 34 Fairview Road and his ride home. ← All People
🗣️ Witness

Colin Albert

Courtroom still of Colin Albert.

Witness who testified about his visit to 34 Fairview Road and his ride home.

Trial 1
756 lines 7 proceedings

About

Colin Albert, the son of Chris and Julie Albert, testified about visiting his uncle Brian and aunt Nicole at 34 Fairview Road on January 28, 2022. He said he arrived between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m., spent most of his visit in the kitchen and dining area, and arranged a ride home with Alli McCabe by text. He said he went directly home and did not see John O’Keefe inside or outside the house. The defense questioned the completeness of the text screenshots documenting the pickup and the absence of a forensic extraction of either phone. Albert said he and McCabe also communicated through other apps and denied deleting messages or changing platforms to keep their communications from investigators. He said he had known lead investigator Michael Proctor since childhood but had little recent contact with him apart from a brief 2023 interview. Albert testified that investigators did not inspect or take his phone and that he provided a screenshot rather than the underlying messages. Asked about a photograph showing cuts to his right knuckles weeks after O’Keefe’s death, Albert attributed them to a fall on an icy driveway and distinguished that injury from an earlier account involving a heavy bag. He acknowledged making threats of physical violence toward others in two videos, which he described as part of a teenage exchange involving a club hockey team. He maintained that he had never been in a fight and denied ever threatening or having a conflict with O’Keefe. The defense also questioned his differing estimates of when the videos were made.

Trial Record (7)

Trial 1 First Criminal Trial Apr 29, 2024 – Jul 1, 2024 7 proceedings

Day 12

Direct Colin Albert - Direct Examination Colin Albert Adam Lally 6 highlights 235 lines spoken
Summary

Albert described his visit to 34 Fairview Road, his text-arranged ride home with Alli McCabe, and said he did not see John O'Keefe; the text screenshot was admitted as Exhibit 84.

Highlights (6)
Quote

“I just said, I'm going home. My mom wants me home. I love you guys. Bye.”

Albert described his exchange with his uncle Brian and aunt Nicole as he left the house.

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Quote

“And then at 12:10 a.m., Alli wrote, here. And at 12:20 a.m., I wrote back, okay.”

Albert read the text-message sequence used to place his departure from 34 Fairview Road.

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Show 2 more

Day 13

Cross Colin Albert Cross-Examination Colin Albert Alan Jackson 4 highlights 311 lines spoken
Summary

Albert was questioned about witness preparation, his relationship with Michael Proctor, phone and text-message evidence, and injuries shown in an admitted February 2022 photograph.

Highlights (4)
Quote

“We text on other platforms, too. So I'd say other apps.”

Albert offered an explanation for the lack of messages in the displayed text string after January 29.

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Quote

“I was at a party, a house party my senior year. It was -- I remember it being icy out and I was -- it was kind of like a steep hill of a driveway. And I was walking up the driveway, and I slipped down the driveway. And I tried to catch myself, but I had something in my left hand. So I tried to brace myself with my right hand, and I ended up sliding a little bit down the driveway.”

Albert gave his account of how he injured the knuckles shown in the admitted February 2022 photograph.

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Quote

“I got prepped for this.”

Albert described the earlier meeting with Mr. Lally after initially saying he had spoken only with his lawyer in preparation for testimony.

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Voir Dire Colin Albert - Voir Dire on Proposed Videos Colin Albert 2 highlights 81 lines spoken
Summary

Albert acknowledged threats in two jury-out videos, denied any connection to John O'Keefe, and was questioned about when the videos were made.

Highlights (2)
Cross Colin Albert Cross-Examination Resumed Colin Albert Alan Jackson 3 highlights 56 lines spoken
Summary

Albert identified himself in two videos, acknowledged threats of physical violence, and was questioned about earlier testimony on the videos' timing and his injured knuckles.

Highlights (3)
Key Moment

Albert agreed that he had previously placed the videos closer to his junior or senior year, while testifying here that they were from around his sophomore year.

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Redirect Colin Albert - Re-redirect Colin Albert Adam Lally 2 highlights 73 lines spoken
Summary

Albert addressed his limited contact with Trooper Michael Proctor, the video dispute, online harassment, and again denied seeing John O'Keefe at 34 Fairview Road.

Highlights (2)
Quote

“Other than when I got interviewed last time with Trooper Proctor and one of his partners, other than that, I didn't see him for years, I want to say, 'cause I was a young kid.”

Albert characterized his contact with Trooper Proctor as limited apart from his interview.

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Quote

“I'd say about a little over a year it started when people on Twitter, Instagram, social media were just coming at my family, calling us murderers, harassing us, showing up to our doorsteps, our sports games. I mean, we couldn't leave the house without people taking pictures of us, and it's very terrible.”

Albert described the online and in-person harassment he said his family experienced.

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Locations Touched By This Testimony

34 Fairview Road 3 procs Canton Police Department 1 proc