Person Jason Becker Trial 2Canton firefighter paramedic Jason Becker responded to Karen Read’s Section 12 psychiatric evaluation call on January 29, 2022, and transported her to the hospital, during which she made statements about potentially hitting John O’Keefe. ← All People
🗣️ Witness · Canton Fire

Jason Becker

Trial 2
205 lines 4 proceedings
Courtroom still of Jason Becker.

About

Jason Becker is a Canton Fire firefighter-paramedic who transported Karen Read for a Section 12 psychiatric evaluation on January 29, 2022. He testified that during transport Read repeatedly asked whether O'Keefe could be dead and said, 'could I have hit him.' Becker also recalled Read saying that her last conversation with O'Keefe had been an argument.

Key Points

  • Becker testified that during transport, Read repeatedly asked whether O'Keefe could be dead and said 'could I have hit him.' The prosecution used that testimony to argue that Read's words suggested awareness that her vehicle may have struck O'Keefe.
  • Becker recalled that Read told him her last interaction with O'Keefe had been an argument and that she was distressed about that being the last thing she had said to him.
  • On direct examination, Becker stated that Read denied drug or alcohol use when he asked. On cross-examination, he explained that his standard intake question concerned the immediate timeframe, and, after his recollection was refreshed with a prior police report, agreed that Read had reported drinking the night before.
  • In Trial 2 cross-examination, Becker said Read tried to show him her phone while discussing her 'last words' to O'Keefe. In response to Jackson's proposition that the phone showed missed calls and voicemails, Becker said he put those matters together; Becker later clarified that he did not look through the phone and did not know whom she had called.
  • Becker identified Kerry Roberts as the other woman present in the black SUV, placing both women in the vehicle during the psychiatric response and establishing the scene at the time of transport.

Trial Record (4)

Trial 2 Retrial Apr 22, 2025 – Jun 18, 2025 4 proceedings

Day 4

Direct Jason Becker Hank Brennan 4 highlights 90 lines spoken
Summary

Canton firefighter paramedic Jason Becker testifies about responding to a Section 12 psychiatric evaluation call for Karen Read on January 29, 2022, and transporting her to the hospital.

Highlights (4)
Quote

“In this specific situation, we didn't know the circumstances. We just knew that Miss Read had found her husband, whom she was calling dead on the side of the road. So it was a traumatic call.”

Shows Becker described his role as non-investigative and focused on patient safety.

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Quote

“Initially she was agitated because she didn't feel like she needed to go to the hospital. She said the statement she made, she didn't mean, she just kind of said in jest because of the events that she went through. But then there'd be periods where she'd be calm and then it would fluctuate. She would have pressured speech, repetitive, but all in all she was cooperative.”

Read's demeanor description and her attempt to walk back whatever statement triggered the Section 12 call.

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Quote

“One of the reasons why she was saying that stuff is because the last thing—the last conversation she had with her husband at the time was an argument. I didn't feel like it was my role to really find out the details on what was said.”

Establishes Read disclosed an argument with John O'Keefe as her last interaction, without providing specifics.

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Cross Jason Becker Alan Jackson 3 highlights 79 lines spoken
Summary

Alan Jackson cross-examines firefighter Jason Becker about Karen Read's demeanor, trauma signs, and the nature of her statements about her 'last words' to John O'Keefe.

Highlights (3)
Quote

“Her demeanor was consistent with having gone through a significant trauma for the situation.”

Becker described Read's demeanor as consistent with having gone through significant trauma.

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Quote

“She didn't give any details.”

Establishes that Read never specified the nature or content of the argument, undermining any prosecution inference about an in-person confrontation.

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Quote

“I did.”

Becker agreed with Jackson's compound proposition connecting Read's upset about her 'last words' to angry voicemails on missed calls; the answer is context-dependent.

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Redirect Jason Becker Hank Brennan 3 highlights 28 lines spoken
Summary

Hank Brennan's redirect of Jason Becker focused on establishing that Karen Read described an argument with her husband, never mentioning voicemails, countering the defense's cross-examination inference.

Highlights (3)
Quote

“Uh, so she — she was also um — she was upset also because she said they had, you know, the last time they had talked she had gotten into an argument. So she was upset that that was like her last words to him.”

The full grand jury statement reflects Becker's account that Read described an argument when they last talked. Together with his testimony that he did not recall a voicemail or voice-message reference, it supported Brennan's rebuttal without establishing whether the exchange was in person.

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Quote

“I didn't feel it was — you know, at the time we went about the call — we didn't, you know, think we would be witnesses in a murder trial. Um, you know, we were there to support Karen and ultimately get to the hospital safely.”

Explains why Becker didn't probe further about the argument — contextualizes the limited detail as appropriate paramedic behavior, not an investigative gap.

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Locations Touched By This Testimony