Commonwealth v. Read — Trial Archive
Person Steven Saraf Trial 1Canton PD Officer Steven Saraf was the first responding officer to reach John O’Keefe’s body at 34 Fairview Road on the morning of January 29, 2022. ← All People
👮 Law Enforcement · Canton PD

Steven Saraf

Trial 1
461 lines 3 proceedings
Courtroom still of Steven Saraf.

About

Officer Steven Saraf of the Canton Police Department was the first law enforcement officer on scene when John O'Keefe was found unresponsive on the front lawn of 34 Fairview Road in a pre-dawn snowstorm. He testified about the physical condition of the scene, O'Keefe's state upon arrival, and statements made by Karen Read and Jennifer McCabe in those first minutes. His testimony spans three proceedings in Trial 1 — direct, cross, and redirect — covering both his observations and the evolution of those observations across multiple retellings.

Key Points

  • Saraf arrived to find O'Keefe lying on his back on the left side of the property near a flagpole and fire hydrant. He could not find a pulse and said O'Keefe was cold to the touch.
  • Saraf testified that Karen Read was visibly hysterical, had blood on her face, and was attempting CPR when he arrived, and that she repeatedly stated 'This is all my fault, I did this' — making him the primary source for the prosecution's most incriminating on-scene statement.
  • Saraf observed that footprints and track marks around the body did not extend toward the residence, a physical detail the defense would invoke in arguing O'Keefe was not placed there from the house.
  • On cross-examination, Jackson established that Saraf had omitted 'this is my fault' from both his initial report and his interview with Trooper Proctor — the phrase only surfaced in his grand jury testimony months later, which Saraf acknowledged as an oversight.
  • On cross-examination, Jackson elicited Saraf's testimony that he did not search 34 Fairview Road and that he was not aware of another law-enforcement search, a point used by the defense to challenge the scope of the investigation.

Trial Record (3)

Trial 1 First Criminal Trial Apr 29, 2024 – Jul 1, 2024 3 proceedings

Day 1

Direct Steven Saraf Adam Lally 3 highlights 189 lines spoken
Summary

Officer Saraf described his snowy early-morning response to 34 Fairview Road, his initial observations of John O'Keefe and Karen Read, and cruiser-camera video of his route and arrival.

Highlights (3)
Quote

“I couldn't find any pulse or anything like that, and he was cold to the touch.”

Describes Saraf's initial physical observations when he checked John O'Keefe.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶
Quote

“Ms. Read was visible upset. She kept saying, this is all my fault. This is my fault. I did this. And she was very hysterical. She kept asking -- he's dead. Is he dead? Is he dead?”

Saraf attributed these repeated statements and observations of Read's demeanor to her at the scene.

Open in transcript → Watch this moment ▶

Day 2

Cross Steven Saraf Alan Jackson 4 highlights 253 lines spoken
Summary

Officer Saraf acknowledged errors in the dispatch log and omissions from his early accounts, while the defense used dash-camera video to question what he observed and heard at the scene.

Highlights (4)
Redirect Steven Saraf Adam Lally 1 highlights 18 lines spoken
Summary

Saraf explained emergency dispatch procedures, reaffirmed his memory of the scene, and said he saw no residents come outside while he was on Fairview Road.

Highlights (1)
Quote

“Usually the first thing they would do is dispatch, get people going to the scene and get everybody rolling as far as if they need F.D., police, whatever resources they need”

Saraf described the emergency-response priority that he said preceded detailed dispatch-log entry.

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Locations Touched By This Testimony

34 Fairview Road 3 procs Canton Police Department 3 procs