Karina Kolokithas Testimony & Transcripts

About

Karina Kolokithas was part of the social group that gathered at the Waterfall Bar & Grille on the evening of January 28, 2022, the last documented public setting where Karen Read and John O'Keefe were seen together. She testified about the couple's demeanor that night, the circumstances of their departure, and Jennifer McCabe's invitation to continue the evening at 34 Fairview Road. She appeared in both trials, offering firsthand observations about Read's statements regarding O'Keefe and the sequence of events as the bar closed.

Across Trials

In Trial 2, Kolokithas's testimony was more compact — two proceedings compared to four in Trial 1, with no redirect or recross. The prosecution's direct examination in Trial 2 focused on Read's demeanor, sobriety, and coherence at the bar, while defense attorney Hank Brennan's cross shifted the emphasis toward the celebratory mood of the evening and O'Keefe's character as kind and generous — a different framing than Trial 1's cross, which had focused on the McCabe invitation and the compressed timeline between the bar and 34 Fairview Road.

Challenges & Responses

Kolokithas's credibility was not directly challenged, but the prosecution used redirect in Trial 1 to narrow the scope of her testimony: Lally established that her characterization of the Read-O'Keefe relationship was based entirely on what Read told her at the bar that night, and that O'Keefe had never independently confirmed those accounts to her.

Key Points

Kolokithas testified that Read spoke warmly about O'Keefe and his care for his niece; on redirect, she agreed that her account of the relationship came from what Read told her at the bar.
Kolokithas testified that Read walked toward the driver's side while O'Keefe walked toward the other side, but said she did not see what happened after that.
Kolokithas described Jennifer McCabe approaching Read specifically — putting her arm around her and saying 'You're coming with me' — with the invitation directed only at Read and not at O'Keefe, a point defense attorney Jackson emphasized on cross-examination.
She described the weather conditions at departure as light snow with the blacktop still visible through accumulation, placing the snowfall timeline at approximately midnight and providing context for conditions when O'Keefe was later found outside.
On Trial 1 recross, Kolokithas agreed that she had observed the couple as 'lovey-dovey' that evening.

Trial Record (7)

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

Day 7 May 8, 2024

Direct Karina Kolokithas Adam Lally 2 highlights 173 lines spoken

Summary

Kolokithas described the Waterfall gathering, said she saw no unusual interaction between Read and O’Keefe, and identified people in video footage of the group leaving.

Highlights (2)

Quote

“I saw nothing. I did not see anything.”

Kolokithas gave a direct account that she observed no unusual interaction between Read and O’Keefe at the bar.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Quote

“She was walking to the driver’s side. But, again, I was more concerned about crossing Washington Street and there was a little bit of snow at that point, so I didn’t see -- like I saw them walking in that direction, like her going to the driver’s side and John going to the other side, but I didn’t see anything after that.”

Kolokithas described the limits of her observations after seeing Read and O’Keefe approach a black SUV.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Cross Karina Kolokithas Alan Jackson 21 lines spoken

Summary

Kolokithas confirmed prior testimony about Read's positive comments about O’Keefe and agreed to a five-to-seven-minute travel estimate from the Waterfall Bar to 34 Fairview.

Redirect Karina Kolokithas Adam Lally 1 highlights 6 lines spoken

Summary

Kolokithas said her relationship-related account came from the defendant and that John O’Keefe did not share personal details with her.

Highlights (1)

Quote

“He didn’t tell me personal things, no.”

Limits her knowledge of John O’Keefe's private views of the relationship.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Recross Karina Kolokithas Alan Jackson 2 lines spoken

Summary

Kolokithas reaffirmed that Read and O’Keefe appeared affectionate that night.

Sidebar Sidebar and Early Adjournment

Summary

The court set Christopher Albert as the next witness and adjourned early, instructing jurors to return the next morning.

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

Day 27 June 4, 2025

Direct Karina Kolokithas David Yannetti 4 highlights 183 lines spoken

Summary

Karina Kolokithas testifies about the evening of January 28, 2022, at the Waterfall bar, describing Karen Read's demeanor, sobriety, and her interactions with John O'Keefe.

Highlights (4)

Quote

“She seemed fine to me.”

Direct sobriety assessment from a medical professional who was sober herself and in close proximity to Read all evening.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Quote

“So, John went over to Karen and he gave her a kiss on the forehead.”

Kolokithas testified that O'Keefe kissed Read on the forehead.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Quote

“Jen went over to Karen, kind of put her arm around her, and started saying, "You're coming with me. You're coming with me."”

The court immediately sustained an objection after the full answer at row 260321. In the permitted follow-up limited to the first part, Kolokithas said the phrase "you're coming with me" stood out to her.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Quote

“I had talked to her all night and I did not notice anything strange about her. Like, I didn't think anything of it.”

Kolokithas said she had talked with Read through the evening and noticed nothing that concerned her about Read driving.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Cross Karina Kolokithas Hank Brennan 13 lines spoken

Summary

Hank Brennan conducts a brief cross-examination of Karina Kolokithas, reinforcing the celebratory mood at the Waterfall bar and John O'Keefe's character as kind and generous.

Locations Touched By This Testimony

Waterfall Bar & Grille 5 procs 34 Fairview Road 2 procs C.F. McCarthy's 1 proc