Commonwealth v. Read — Trial ArchiveDay 15 - May 21, 2024
Judge Beverly J. Cannone · Trial 1 · 1 proceedings · 1,850 lines
On Day 15, Jackson cross-examines Jennifer McCabe about her view toward the SUV, prior accounts of Read's statements, phone-extraction records, family group messages, and earlier references to Higgins's Jeep.
Full day summary
Key Moments
- McCabe testified that she had a clear and good view across the lawn toward Read's SUV when it was straight out and said she never saw a body; Jackson asked whether there was no body after the SUV was gone.
- Jackson questioned McCabe about compared phone-extraction reports, saying calls to O'Keefe from 12:14–12:50 AM were absent from her extraction and alleging they had been deleted; McCabe said she did not recall deleting calls and agreed only according to the report being discussed.
- Jackson used excerpts of McCabe's April 2022 grand jury testimony to identify twelve descriptions of Read's words as questions; McCabe answered that the declarative statement occurred at the scene in response to an officer's questions.
- Jackson introduced group messages including McCabe's statement that Kerry Roberts was 'telling them everything' during Roberts's police interview and argued the exchanges reflected witness coordination and monitoring; McCabe disputed that characterization.
- Asked about prior accounts, McCabe said she did not mention Higgins's Jeep because she may not have been asked about it; she did not recall being asked to mention it at trial.
Notable Quotes
Jennifer McCabe
“I'm not sure if it's in this document, but I can tell you — Today, with 100% clarity, she said 'I hit him, I hit him, I hit him' on that morning.”
McCabe testified with certainty that Read made a declarative statement; Jackson contrasted that account with how excerpts of her prior grand jury testimony phrased Read's words.
Alan Jackson
“She is telling them everything”
Jackson read McCabe's group message while arguing witness monitoring; McCabe acknowledged the text but denied listening to the police interview or participating in a cover-up.
Alan Jackson
“So according to you, you literally butt-dialed John O'Keefe's phone six times in the span of 19 minutes.”
Jackson used compared extraction reports to allege deleted calls and challenged McCabe's prior butt-dial explanation; McCabe said she did not remember making the calls and described that explanation as an assumption.
4h 13m