Day 7 - May 8, 2024

Katie Camerano, a Canton nurse and close family friend of John O'Keefe, testified about the relationship between the O'Keefe and Camerano families, whose children were close friends. She described receiving a frantic phone call from Karen Read between 4 and 5 a.m. on January 29, 2022, while working her overnight nursing shift. Read was screaming 'Where's Mike?' — asking about Camerano's husband Michael, who had gone out with O'Keefe the previous evening. Camerano testified about subsequent calls and texts with Read, Kaylee O'Keefe, and Kerry Roberts as the search unfolded. The prosecution walked through text message exhibits showing Camerano's exchanges with both O'Keefe (unanswered texts at 5:10 a.m.) and Read, culminating in Read's 6:34 a.m. text stating 'He's dead' followed by 'Last he was in the snow.' Camerano testified she has had no communication with Read since that morning.

In a very brief cross-examination lasting under a minute, defense attorney Alan Jackson asked Katie Camerano just three substantive questions. He confirmed that Camerano had no communication with Karen Read after the early morning of January 29, 2022, established that Camerano never reached out to Read herself, and elicited that Camerano was unaware Read's phone had been seized by investigators. Jackson concluded immediately after these points, and the witness was dismissed.

Curt Roberts, a Canton resident and friend of John O'Keefe and Michael Camerano through their sons' baseball team, testifies about the evening of January 28, 2022. Camerano texted Roberts around 8:20 PM to join him and O'Keefe at CF McCarthy's bar. Roberts arrived, drank three or four Bud Lights over about an hour, and observed Karen Read join the group drinking what appeared to be a vodka. He described the group's demeanor as normal with no arguments. Roberts left around 10 PM, went to bed around midnight as the snowstorm intensified, and was woken around 5 AM by screaming on his wife Kerry's phone — Karen Read saying John was missing. Kerry left in the storm; she later called to say O'Keefe had been found and was in an ambulance, and she was going to pick up his parents in Braintree.

David Yannetti cross-examines Curt Roberts, focusing on two themes. First, Yannetti establishes that during Roberts's face-to-face interaction with Karen Read at CF McCarthy's bar, she showed no signs of intoxication — no slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, swaying, or confusion. Roberts agreed she appeared normal. Second, Yannetti elicits testimony that over the year or two Roberts knew Read, she regularly picked up his son along with O'Keefe's children for baseball and other activities, and that she appeared caring toward the kids. The prosecution objected twice to questions about Read's character regarding the children, with one sustained and one overruled after a sidebar.

In a brief redirect consisting of a single substantive exchange, ADA Lally establishes that Curt Roberts's observations of Karen Read — both her demeanor toward John O'Keefe and her caring behavior with the children — were limited to what he saw in public settings. Roberts confirmed he was not privy to what went on behind closed doors or within Read and O'Keefe's private relationship. The witness was then excused.

Rebecca Trayers, a bartender at the Waterfall Bar and Grille in Canton, testified about the establishment's layout, staffing, hours, and glassware. She described the bar's interior — lounge area with high tops and low tops, a band alcove, and the bar area — and confirmed surveillance cameras were present inside and outside. Using surveillance video from the night of January 28, 2022, she identified herself taking out trash around 12:16 a.m. and confirmed the parking lot and front door locations. Trayers testified she recognized John O'Keefe as an occasional patron who ordered a beer that night, and identified Brian Albert, Brian Higgins, and Brian Albert's wife as part of the last group to leave, seated at the high top closest to the bar. She confirmed she knew all these individuals only through her work at the Waterfall. Bar receipts from January 28, 2022 were admitted into evidence.

David Yannetti established that Trayers has been a bartender in Canton for approximately 11 years and grew up in the town. He elicited that the Albert family is well-known in Canton and that Trayers knew five members, including Brian Albert, Chris Albert, their wives, and Brian's daughter Caitlin, who is close to Trayers's age. Yannetti confirmed Trayers knew Brian Higgins by name before that night and had seen Caitlin Albert at the Waterfall that evening. After a lunch recess, Yannetti established that John O'Keefe appeared to be in a good mood, left a generous tip on a $16.58 tab, was not seen buying drinks for any woman, and that no one in the group appeared highly intoxicated. The cross-examination was brief and cooperative.

Nicholas Kolokithas testified about the evening of January 28, 2022. After attending his daughter's basketball game at Canton High, he went to the Waterfall bar around 9:00 PM with a group of basketball parents. He described the table arrangement, identifying Matt and Jennifer McCabe, Nicole and Brian Albert, Chris and Julie Albert, and others. John O'Keefe and Karen Read arrived around 11:00 PM, having come from C.F. McCarthy's. Kolokithas observed O'Keefe drinking beer and Read holding a glass with clear liquid. He noted no arguments, no injuries on O'Keefe, and no damage to his clothing. Toward closing, the group discussed going to either D&E Pizza or Brian Albert's house at 34 Fairview Road. Kolokithas and his wife went home instead, leaving around 12:10 AM. He noted it was very cold with snow just beginning, barely a dusting on the ground.

Alan Jackson established that he had never previously interviewed Kolokithas, then elicited testimony that Read and O'Keefe appeared affectionate and loving at the Waterfall bar, with Kolokithas's wife commenting enviously on their closeness. Jackson also explored the families' relationship, including Read organizing a birthday party for O'Keefe's niece. The second half focused on Waterfall surveillance video (Exhibit 53), in which Jackson had Kolokithas identify himself, Matt McCabe, John O'Keefe, Karen Read, Brian Albert, and Brian Higgins. Jackson drew attention to what appeared to be play-fighting or sparring between two men at the bar, though Kolokithas said he did not recall the roughhousing and did not participate in any himself.

In a brief redirect of 17 utterances, ADA Lally addressed two points raised during Alan Jackson's cross-examination. First, Lally established that Kolokithas had no substantive personal conversations with either O'Keefe or Read about their relationship, limiting the weight of his cross-examination testimony that the couple appeared affectionate. Second, Lally revisited the surveillance video footage of apparent play-fighting at the Waterfall bar, eliciting confirmation that Kolokithas had no memory of the incident and that his own laughter in the video may not have been directed at whatever was occurring.

After a brief sidebar, Alan Jackson asked a single question on recross, reading from Kolokithas's prior hearing testimony in which he described Karen Read singing John O'Keefe's praises — specifically about O'Keefe being a good person and father figure who sacrificed his life to raise his niece and nephew. Kolokithas confirmed the prior testimony and affirmed it was true, responding '100%.' The witness was then dismissed by Judge Cannone.

Karina Kolokithas, a Canton pharmacist and mother, describes her evening on January 28, 2022: attending her daughter's basketball game at Canton High, going home, then reluctantly joining her husband Nicholas and the McCabes at the Waterfall bar around 9:30 PM. She testifies that Karen Read and John O'Keefe arrived around 11 PM, that Read spoke admiringly about O'Keefe's dedication to his niece and nephew while wishing they had more couple time. Kolokithas describes the group's departure around midnight, including Jennifer McCabe playfully telling Read to come with her, but then observing Read rejoin O'Keefe at the exit. She saw Read walk to the driver's side and O'Keefe to the passenger side of a black SUV on Washington Street. Surveillance video from the Waterfall is published to corroborate her account of the group's positions and departure sequence.

Alan Jackson conducts a short cross-examination of Karina Kolokithas, focusing entirely on two points from her direct testimony. First, he methodically walks through Read's complimentary remarks about O'Keefe — her admiration, his responsibility with the children, their planned trip together — reinforcing a picture of an affectionate relationship. Second, he isolates Jennifer McCabe's parting statement ('You're coming with me') as directed solely at Read, not at both Read and O'Keefe, and establishes that 34 Fairview Road was only a five-to-seven-minute drive from the bar. Jackson asks no hostile questions and concludes in under two minutes.

ADA Lally conducts a brief redirect of Karina Kolokithas to counter the defense's emphasis on Read's affectionate remarks about O'Keefe. He establishes three points: that everything Kolokithas relayed about the relationship came from what Read told her that night, that O'Keefe never discussed personal matters with Kolokithas, and that January 28th was the first time Kolokithas had ever socialized with Read. The redirect frames Kolokithas as having no independent knowledge of the couple's relationship or what went on in their home.

Alan Jackson conducts a one-question recross of Karina Kolokithas. He asks her to confirm that what she personally observed between Karen Read and John O'Keefe that night was, in her words, 'lovey-dovey.' Kolokithas confirms. Judge Cannone then excuses the witness.