Commonwealth v. Read — Trial ArchiveKatie Camerano — Direct/Cross
440 linesWhereupon, KATHERINE CAMERANO having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:
JUDGE CANNONE: Okay. Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Lally.
MR. LALLY: Thank you, Your Honor.
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Good morning, ma’am.
MS. CAMERANO: Good morning.
MR. LALLY: Could you please state your name and spell your last name for the jury?
MS. CAMERANO: Katherine Camerano, C-A-M-E-R-A-N-O.
MR. LALLY: And where do you live, ma’am?
MS. CAMERANO: Canton.
MR. LALLY: And how long have you lived in Canton?
MS. CAMERANO: Probably since 2005, maybe. 20 years. 2005, I think.
MR. LALLY: And who, if anyone, do you live in Canton with?
MS. CAMERANO: My husband, Michael, and my two children.
MR. LALLY: Okay. And how old are your children?
MS. CAMERANO: Right now, 13 and 16.
MR. LALLY: And starting with the 16-year-old, is that a boy or a girl?
MS. CAMERANO: A girl.
MR. LALLY: And the 13-year-old, is that a boy or a girl?
MS. CAMERANO: Boy.
MR. LALLY: And, as far as activities are concerned with your kids, do they play sports or do they do other sorts of activities?
MS. CAMERANO: They play sports.
MR. LALLY: And which sports does your 16-year-old daughter play?
MS. CAMERANO: Currently, right now, softball.
MR. LALLY: And has she played any other sports in the past?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes. She played soccer, soccer. She played hockey for a little bit. But mostly soccer and softball.
MR. LALLY: And your 13-year-old son, what, if any, sports did he play or does he play?
MS. CAMERANO: Hockey and baseball.
MR. LALLY: Now, do you work, ma’am?
MS. CAMERANO: I do.
MR. LALLY: And what do you do for work?
MS. CAMERANO: I’m a nurse.
MR. LALLY: And how long have you been working as a nurse?
MS. CAMERANO: Twenty-one years.
MR. LALLY: And your husband, does he work?
MS. CAMERANO: He does.
MR. LALLY: And what does he do for work?
MS. CAMERANO: He’s a laborer.
MR. LALLY: And how long has he been doing that?
MS. CAMERANO: Probably 25, maybe even 30 years, actually.
MR. LALLY: And how long have the two of you been together?
MS. CAMERANO: Married?
MR. LALLY: Married, yes.
MS. CAMERANO: Twenty years. Twenty years. 2004.
MR. LALLY: Now, ma’am, if I could turn your attention to January 28th, 2022, into January 29th of 2022. Do you recall those couple of days?
MS. CAMERANO: I do.
MR. LALLY: And do you recall what days of the week they were?
MS. CAMERANO: It was Friday, into Saturday night.
MR. LALLY: And starting with the Friday of the 28th, were you working that day?
MS. CAMERANO: I was working that night.
MR. LALLY: Okay. And sort of typically what kind of shift do you work as a nurse?
MS. CAMERANO: I work 7:00 p. to 7:00 a., nights, mostly weekends.
MR. LALLY: So weekends would be sort of typically when you’d be at work?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And around this time of January of 2022, when you were at work do you know what sort of your husband and your children would be doing typically on like a Friday night?
MS. CAMERANO: Friday night, they went to Johnny’s house a lot and the kids hung out, and they all just hung out together on a Friday night.
MR. LALLY: Now, starting with Johnny, who you refer to, you mean John O’Keefe; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And how is it that you came to know John O’Keefe?
MS. CAMERANO: My husband got introduced to him. And then the girls started hanging out probably 2018, fourth grade, the boys around the same time, when he moved around, when he moved to Meadows, probably around that time.
MR. LALLY: So, Mr. O’Keefe, he had a niece and a nephew of who he was a guardian; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And he had a niece named (c) and a nephew named (c) ; correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And they live with him; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: Now, with regard to his niece, (c) , and your daughter, how did they know each other?
MS. CAMERANO: They first met on the soccer team, probably soccer. Yes, they met soccer, fourth grade. It could have been basketball. She played basketball when she was that little, (c) . Basketball team, fourth or fifth grade. And then quickly by the fifth, sixth grade they were like best friends, attached at the hip.
MR. LALLY: And, as far as Mr. O’Keefe’s nephew, (c) , in relation to your son, were they the same age as well?
MS. CAMERANO: They were. They played baseball together.
MR. LALLY: And, outside of baseball, were they friendly as well?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And, so, a typical Friday night would be you were at work and your husband and the kids would go over to Mr. O’Keefe’s house?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: You knew where Mr. O’Keefe’s house was?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And where was that?
MS. CAMERANO: On Meadows Ave.
MR. LALLY: And about how far away from your house was Mr. O’Keefe’s house on One Meadows Ave.?
MS. CAMERANO: Maybe two miles, maybe.
MR. LALLY: So fairly short distance?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: Now, with regard to this specific Friday night, January 28th, you were at work. Do you know what sort of the plan was with reference to the rest of your family?
MS. CAMERANO: (c) -- my son was going to a play with a friend of his, a school play in the town, and Michael was going to Johnny’s with (c) , my daughter, and they were going to hang out there for the night. And they were going to, Michael and Johnny, were going to potentially go out.
MR. LALLY: Now, with reference to your daughter and Mr. O’Keefe’s niece, (c) , what, if anything, around -- well, specifically to that day, what, if anything, was sort of going on with them and their school?
MS. CAMERANO: They had just gotten into Bishop Feehan High School that day.
MR. LALLY: And at this time in January of 2022 what grade were they in at that point?
MS. CAMERANO: They were in (c) They were going into (c) that September.
MR. LALLY: And, so, they had been accepted to this private school, Bishop Feehan, and got their acceptance letters that day?
MS. CAMERANO: Yup.
MR. LALLY: And what, if any, conversation do you recall having with Mr. O’Keefe in reference to that on that day?
MS. CAMERANO: They were just really excited about it. Everyone was really excited that they just got in.
MR. LALLY: Now, at some point -- well, beyond sort of -- if you could just sort of describe the nature of your relationship, and, by “you,” I’m using a plural as far as you and your husband, with regard to Mr. O’Keefe?
MS. CAMERANO: He was our friend. He was really good to me and my kids.
MR. LALLY: And, as far as the kids were concerned, what, if any, sort of interplay did you have with regard to his kids and he have with regard to your kids?
MS. CAMERANO: I worked weekends and he would take my kids to sporting. I would do a lot of the stuff during the week if I was around, the practices, and him and my husband would always do the games. The kids used to call them my two dads. It was like they had a lot of time together. Like a well-oiled machine.
MR. LALLY: Now, through your friendship with Mr. O’Keefe, at some point did you come to know someone by the name of Karen Read?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And who was Karen Read in relation to Mr. O’Keefe?
MS. CAMERANO: She was his girlfiend.
MR. LALLY: And, just to be clear, when I’m talking about Karen Read, do you see Ms. Read in the courtroom today?
MS. CAMERANO: I do.
MR. LALLY: Would you just identify as to where she’s seated or an article clothing?
MS. CAMERANO: She’s right there (Indicating).
MR. LALLY: Your Honor, just ask the record to reflect identification of the defendant by the witness.
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, with regard to the defendant, Ms. Read, prior to this date of January 28th, 2022, about how long had you known her?
MS. CAMERANO: Whenever they started dating. Probably two years. COVID, during COVID. Yeah, probably two years.
MR. LALLY: So sometime during the COVID pandemic you met her?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah.
MR. LALLY: And, as far as you were aware, did she live with Mr. O’Keefe and the children or did she have somewhere else she lived?
MS. CAMERANO: No. She had a house in Mansfield, but she stayed at Meadows a lot.
MR. LALLY: And, so, during the course around this time of January 2022, general time frame, about how often would you see Mr. O’Keefe?
MS. CAMERANO: Probably three days a week, I would say.
MR. LALLY: And sort of typically when you would see him, would that be sort of at a game or at his house, your house?
MS. CAMERANO: Anything. Drop-off, pick up, his house, games, anything.
MR. LALLY: Now, as far as Mr. O’Keefe and Ms. Read were concerned with regard to you and your husband, what, if any, socialization did you have sort of outside of the kids?
MS. CAMERANO: We went out to eat. We went to a comedy show. I would socialize with them.
MR. LALLY: And about how often would you do that?
MS. CAMERANO: Well, the kids were around mostly, but maybe a few times. I feel like the kids were usually always around.
MR. LALLY: Now, at some point did you become aware that your husband and Mr. O’Keefe had gone out that evening?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And how did you become aware of that?
MS. CAMERANO: I don’t know. Either (c) told me or my daughter told me. One of them told me. I forget who.
MR. LALLY: Okay. And do you know where your husband went that night?
MS. CAMERANO: I don’t remember if he told me exactly where he went.
MR. LALLY: And at some point you’re still at work. You’re working an overnight; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And the rest of your family, being your husband and your kids, they came home at some point?
MS. CAMERANO: They did.
MR. LALLY: And how do you know sort of when or how they came home?
MS. CAMERANO: I have an alarm on my house, so I know when somebody opens the door. I can check at work. It alerts me if the doors open, if the alarm is on, off, who puts it on, who puts it off, like what doors are open, when the alarm is rearmed. And I usually don’t allow sleep-overs, and even if I did, my husband would have called me at work.
MR. LALLY: So fair to say there’s a rule within your house that sleep-overs don’t happen unless you approve?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah.
MR. LALLY: Now, at some point -- I’m going to turn your attention now to the morning of the 29th. At some point while you were at work did you receive a call from someone?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And who, if anyone, called you?
MS. CAMERANO: Karen.
MR. LALLY: And about what time was that?
MS. CAMERANO: Probably between 4:00 and 5:00.
MR. LALLY: And what, if anything, did the defendant say to you when she called you around you 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning?
MS. CAMERANO: She was just screaming, “Where’s Mike? Where’s Mike?”
MR. LALLY: And was that a typical sort of situation that you would get a call from the defendant at that time?
MS. CAMERANO: No. No, no. No, not at all.
MR. LALLY: And the screaming that you heard or the phraseology of “Where’s Mike?”, is that something she said once or more than once or something else?
MS. CAMERANO: She just kept saying it. She just kept saying, “Where is Mike?”
MR. LALLY: And what, if anything, did you say in response to that?
MS. CAMERANO: I was just trying -- I was just like hold on, calm down. And, as I was doing it, I was rechecking like the alarm. I said, “He’s home. He’s home with the kids. Let me call him.” And at some point I hung up. I called my husband like, I don’t know, it felt like a hundred times.
MR. LALLY: Now, you’re at work when you get this call; is that right?
MS. CAMERANO: Uh-hmm.
MR. LALLY: And do you recall sort of where you were, what you were doing when you got the call?
MS. CAMERANO: I was getting ready to draw like morning labs, so I know it was between like 4:00 and 5:00 a.m.
MR. LALLY: As far as this sort of screaming as far as “Where’s Mike?”, what, if anything, did the defendant indicate as to why she was asking you that?
MS. CAMERANO: John didn’t come home.
MR. LALLY: And, from your knowledge of John O’Keefe, was that something that was normal or no?
MS. CAMERANO: No, no.
MR. LALLY: Now, during this sort of initial call with the defendant, what, if anything, did you hear sort of in the background of that call?
MS. CAMERANO: That first call?
MR. LALLY: Yes.
MS. CAMERANO: I don’t think I heard anything in the back.
MR. LALLY: Is your memory exhausted as to that?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah. I don’t remember it.
MR. LALLY: Your Honor, may I approach the witness?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Ma’am, what I’m going to do is, I’m going to place a document before you. I’m going to direct your attention to this second paragraph on the page. If you could just read that to yourself and just look up when you’re done.
MS. CAMERANO: Okay. Yeah. --
MR. LALLY: Don’t say anything further.
MR. LALLY: May I approach to retrieve, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And, so, Ms. Camerano, after reading what I just placed before you, is your memory refreshed as to what, if anything, you heard in the background of that initial call?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes. I could hear in the background.
MR. LALLY: Okay. And do you hang up on that call and then what did you do then?
MS. CAMERANO: Call Michael.
MR. LALLY: And at any point when you’re calling Michael, I think you said you felt like it was about 100 times, did your husband, Michael, answer the phone --
MS. CAMERANO: He never answered, no.
MR. LALLY: And, so, after you called your husband many times and he didn’t answer, what did you do then?
MS. CAMERANO: I called either Karen’s phone or ’s phone back. I texted John, I think, twice. And then I could -- whoever’s phone I called, I could hear Jen in the background, that someone had called Jen, too.
MR. LALLY: So you’re speaking on the phone with either the defendant or ; correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah.
MR. LALLY: And you could hear someone named Jen in the background?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah, I could hear her in the background.
MR. LALLY: And, when you say you could hear someone like Jen --
MS. CAMERANO: Jen. I’m sorry.
MR. LALLY: No, no. So, just as far as Jen, who is that?
MS. CAMERANO: Jen McCabe. She was one of ’s basketball coaches, so I know her voice.
MR. LALLY: Heard her sort of voice on the sidelines numerous times?
MS. CAMERANO: Yup.
MR. LALLY: And did you know her personally at all?
MS. CAMERANO: I knew her as ’s coach.
MR. LALLY: And at some point you were talking to on the phone; correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: Okay. And what is it that you were saying to at that time?
MS. CAMERANO: I was just saying to her is everybody okay. And she said they’re going to go out looking for him. I think she said they were going to go out looking or she went out, she’s going to go out, no one knows where he is. And then I think I like hung up with her. And then at some point I maybe texted or called. And I said is she, is Karen out alone. And she said, no, she’s with Jen and Kerry. So I said, okay, as long as they’re not alone.
MR. LALLY: Now, this second phone call, you’re talking to and you can hear the defendant talking to Ms. McCabe; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And do you hear one side of the conversation or both sides of the conversation or something else?
MS. CAMERANO: I don’t really recall exactly. I don’t. I felt like it was just like a lot of like screaming, like he’s not home. I don’t really recall a hundred percent.
MR. LALLY: Okay. But as far as the screaming that you heard, that’s he’s not home, do you recall who’s voice that was that you heard saying that?
MS. CAMERANO: It was Karen.
MR. LALLY: And, beyond that, as far as the conversation that you overheard, what, if anything, specific about that conversation in addition to that do you recall?
MS. CAMERANO: I don’t.
MR. LALLY: And while these phone calls are going on, again, you’re at work; correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: So what is it that you’re doing sort of in relation to your job while these phone calls are going back and forth?
MS. CAMERANO: I’m trying to like in between draw labs from the patients and then I’m like going in the back room texting or calling and then I’d go back out to the desk, out to the patients.
MR. LALLY: Now, you mentioned that the defendant was sort of screaming when she was talking to you on the phone and when you heard her in the background when you were talking to ?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah.
MR. LALLY: Could you describe sort of -- or how would you describe sort of her, and, by “her,” I mean the defendant, demeanor while you heard her on the phone?
MS. CAMERANO: She was just like frantically screaming, just screaming “Where’s Mike?”.
MR. LALLY: Now, during this time you’re sort of -- you’re working, you’re dealing with patients, and you’re going back and forth between patients and the phone?
MS. CAMERANO: Uh-hmm.
MR. LALLY: And, in addition to speaking on the phone with the defendant and then with , who, if anyone else, did you reach out to or did you talk to that morning?
MS. CAMERANO: I talked to Kerry Roberts in the morning at some point. I don’t know if I called her or she called me. And she said that, I think, that he was going to the hospital. And then I called my husband and told him that was home alone and that he should go get her because she was at the house alone.
MR. LALLY: And is it your understanding that your husband, Michael, then went to Meadows to pick up ?
MS. CAMERANO: Uh-hmm.
COURT REPORTER: Is that “yes,” ma’am?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes. Sorry.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, you mentioned that at some point you spoke to Kerry Roberts; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And how do you know Kerry Roberts?
MS. CAMERANO: I’ve known her since high school.
MR. LALLY: And as far as you grew up in the same town; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: No. I was friends with her cousin, so I had known her. I’ve always known her. I’ve been friends with her for a while.
MR. LALLY: I’m sorry. Just one moment, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Sure.
MR. LALLY: May I approach the witness, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Ma’am, I’m going to show you what’s been previously marked as Exhibit 48.
MR. LALLY: Before I do that, I just need to show counsel what I’m showing.
MR. LALLY: May I approach, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: I’m showing you what’s been marked as Exhibit 48. Specifically, I’m on page 22. With respect to that box, the white box towards the top of the page, do you see a listing as sort of participants of that conversation?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And that’s a text conversation?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And who is sort of listed as the participants within that conversation?
MS. CAMERANO: Katie Camerano and J.J.
MR. LALLY: And is J.J. another sort of name or nickname for John O’Keefe?
MS. CAMERANO: Yeah.
MR. LALLY: Okay. And the content -- essentially, there’s two blue bubbles on the bottom of that page; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And do you recognize the content of those bubbles?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And what do you recognize those to be?
MS. CAMERANO: My text messages to him.
MR. LALLY: So those are the text messages that you just testified about as far as sending to John that morning?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And both of them are from you with no response from Mr. O’Keefe?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And about what time are the two text messages sent to Mr. O’Keefe according to that document?
MS. CAMERANO: 5:10.
MR. LALLY: Thank you.
MR. LALLY: May I approach just to retrieve, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, Ms. Camerano, you had mentioned in your testimony that you had some phone calls or conversations with Ms. Read on the morning of January 29th; correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: May I approach again, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: I’m showing you another document, ma’am. I’d just ask that you look at that and look up when you’re finished.
MS. CAMERANO: Yup.
MR. LALLY: And that document, do those seem to reflect the calls that you had between yourself and the defendant, Ms. Read, on that morning, the 29th?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. JACKSON: Objection, Your Honor. May we approach?
JUDGE CANNONE: Sure. Could I please see that, Ms. Camerano?
MS. CAMERANO: Sure.
JUDGE CANNONE: Thank you.
(Whereupon, there was a sidebar conference as follows:)
JUDGE CANNONE: I just want to know what this is before I hear your objection. What is this?
MR. LALLY: Sure. So this is a portion of the extraction report of the defendant's phone, and these essentially are the phone calls. So what I did is sort of parse out on the extraction report just the phone calls between the defendant and Ms. Camerano from the 29th.
MR. JACKSON: I have no objection to the fact of the phone calls. I just think she's the wrong witness. She's never seen a Cellebrite extraction before. I just don't think that this can be used unless it refreshes her recollection that she independently relied on --
JUDGE CANNONE: Has she seen this before?
MR. LALLY: Yes.
JUDGE CANNONE: So my guess is now she will recognize that.
MR. JACKSON: I think you may be right. Okay.
JUDGE CANNONE: Okay? So we'll try that.
(Whereupon, the sidebar conference concluded.)
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And, so, Ms. Camerano, from that document, does that seem to be the phone calls and the timing of the phone calls between yourself and Ms. Read that morning?
MS. CAMERANO: Okay. Yes.
MR. LALLY: May I approach again, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
MR. LALLY: The Commonwealth would seek to introduce and admit as the next exhibit.
JUDGE CANNONE: Any objection, Mr. Jackson?
MR. JACKSON: Not at this time, no.
(One-page extraction report of communication between Karen Read and Katie Camerano was entered and marked as Exhibit No. 51 in Evidence.)
COURT REPORTER: Exhibit 51.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: I’m returning that to you, which has now been marked as Exhibit 51.
MR. LALLY: Your Honor, with the Court’s permission, I would request to publish that to the jury on the screen.
JUDGE CANNONE: Okay.
MR. LALLY: And, I’m sorry, Ms. Gilman, if you could, please, just see if you can enlarge that just a little bit more.
JUDGE CANNONE: Mr. Lally, keep your voice up and step aside so the jurors can see, please.
MR. LALLY: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Just before we get to what’s up on the screen, is that what you have before you as Exhibit 51?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: Okay. Now, Ms. Camerano, starting as far as the order of these, do you see sort of “to” and “from” and sort of day times on there?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And does it appear as if the earlier times are sort of towards the bottom and then it goes on in time and chronology towards the top?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll to sort of the bottom across?
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, with reference to -- essentially there are six boxes; am I correct on that?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And, with regard to Box 6, if you could just tell the jury sort of --
MS. CAMERANO: It says, 1/29/2022, 4:49 a.m. To Katie Camerano. Answered. Two minutes and 51 seconds.
MR. LALLY: And the box above that, No. 5?
MS. CAMERANO: From: It looks like I called her at 4:56 on 1/29 for two minutes and 57 seconds. Answered.
MR. LALLY: And the box above that, No. 4, please?
MS. CAMERANO: I called her 5:00 a.m. Two minutes and four seconds. Answered. And then I called her again at 5:32 for eight seconds. That was answered. And then I called her again at 5:34. It was missed. 5:34 was missed. And then I called her again at 6:44 and 49 seconds, and that was not answered.
MR. LALLY: Thank you.
MR. LALLY: May I approach just to retrieve, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
MR. LALLY: You can take that down, Ms. Gilman. Thank you.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, with respect -- Ms. Camerano, is your testimony that in addition to the phone calls that you had with the defendant you also had some texts back and forth that morning as well?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And, Your Honor, may I approach?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Ms. Camerano, I’m showing you a document, asking if you could just take a look at that and look up when you’re finished.
MS. CAMERANO: Yup.
MR. LALLY: And do you recognize what’s in that document?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And what do you recognize it to be?
MS. CAMERANO: It’s my texts to Karen.
MR. LALLY: And, with respect to the sort of first page of that, is there also, similar to the ones I showed you with regard to Mr. O’Keefe, is there a listing as far as the participants in that conversation?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And who does it state?
MS. CAMERANO: It’s Karen Read and Katie Camerano.
MR. LALLY: Your Honor, may I approach again?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
MR. LALLY: The Commonwealth is seeking to introduce it as the next exhibit.
JUDGE CANNONE: No objection, Mr. Jackson?
MR. JACKSON: No objection, Your Honor.
(Whereupon, extraction report of text messages between Karen Read and Katie Camerano was entered and marked as Exhibit No. 52 in Evidence.)
COURT REPORTER: Exhibit 52.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Ms. Camerano, returning what’s now been marked as Exhibit 52 --
MR. LALLY: And, Your Honor, with the Court’s permission, I would seek to publish this on the screen for the jury as well.
JUDGE CANNONE: You may.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, Ms. Camerano, if I could direct your attention to sort of the content of this. Essentially, there’s blue bubbles and green bubbles; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: Correct.
MR. LALLY: And is there an indication on there as far as who the message is from and who the message is to?
MS. CAMERANO: The blue bubbles would be me texting Karen.
MR. LALLY: And, if you could, starting with the first bubble on page 1, if you could just describe to the jury, and we’ll sort of go through it, as far as who the text is from and the content of it.
MS. CAMERANO: That’s from me. I’m asking Karen, “Are you okay?”
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down?
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And this next bubble?
MS. CAMERANO: “Go back home so you’re safe with . He’ll end up home. I bet he’s on someone’s couch.”
MR. LALLY: And the next bubble down, Ms. Camerano?
MS. CAMERANO: “What’s going on, Karen?”
MR. LALLY: And if you could scroll down a little further, Ms. Gilman? A “I’m driving around with Kerry and Jen.”
MR. LALLY: And this is a text that you received from Ms. Read to yourself?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And is there a time on that associated with when that text was sent?
MS. CAMERANO: 5:53, does it say?
MR. LALLY: 5:53 a.m.; is that correct?
MS. CAMERANO: 5:53, yes.
MR. LALLY: Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down to the next message? A “Okay. Is one of them driving?”
MR. LALLY: And, just to be clear, this is you texting --
MS. CAMERANO: I’m texting Ms. -- I’m texting Karen, yes. “Is one of them driving?”
MR. LALLY: And why were you texting that or why were you concerned about that?
MS. CAMERANO: Because she was so hysterical, I didn’t want to her driving.
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down to the next message?
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And what, if any, response did you receive from Ms. Read?
MS. CAMERANO: “Yes.”
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down to the next? A And I said, “Okay. Keep me posted.”
MR. LALLY: Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down to the next one, please. A “At his brother’s or mom’s? or the station he works at.”
MR. LALLY: In both of those messages, about what time were those sent?
MS. CAMERANO: 6:00 a.m.
MR. LALLY: And what, if any --
MR. LALLY: Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down?
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And then what, if any, response did you receive from the defendant, Ms. Read, following those texts?
MS. CAMERANO: (As read) “I don’t think so. His bro is in West Bridgewater, W. Bridgewater.”
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down again?
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And the next message, ma’am?
MS. CAMERANO: “Re: I’m sorry. I’m just brainstorming.”
MR. LALLY: And the next green bubble, ma’am?
MS. CAMERANO: “It’s okay.”
MR. LALLY: And the blue bubble below that?
MS. CAMERANO: “Any luck?”
MR. LALLY: And that was a text you sent at approximately what time, ma’am?
MS. CAMERANO: 6:34.
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down to the next one?
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: And what was Ms. Read’s response?
MS. CAMERANO: “He’s dead.”
MR. LALLY: And, again, what time did you receive that text message from Ms. Read?
MS. CAMERANO: 6:34.
MR. LALLY: Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll down again? A “What? Karen, are you serious?”
MR. LALLY: And that’s a blue bubble, your response to her last statement?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, please scroll down again. A And then, “Karen, do you have any idea where he is or did you find him?”
MR. LALLY: And, lastly, Ms. Gilman, if you could scroll one more time? A “He was in the snow.”
MR. LALLY: And that last message that you received, what time was that?
MS. CAMERANO: That was at 6:36.
MR. LALLY: And, Ms. Gilman, you can take that down. And, Mr. Officer, if you could put the lights back on. Thank you.
BY MR. LALLY:
MR. LALLY: Now, following that text message, the last one about 6:34 a.m., what, if any other, communication did you have with the defendant that morning?
MS. CAMERANO: Nothing.
MR. LALLY: What, if any other, communication did you have with the defendant since then?
MS. CAMERANO: None.
MR. LALLY: Now, as far as any of the other people that you spoke of as far as talking to that morning, Ms. Roberts or , did you have any further conversation with them in regard to what was going on?
MS. CAMERANO: No.
MR. LALLY: If I may have just one moment, Your Honor?
JUDGE CANNONE: Yes.
MR. LALLY: Nothing further for this witness, Your Honor.
JUDGE CANNONE: All right. Cross-examination.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. YANNETTI:
MR. YANNETTI: Hello, Ms. Camerano.
MS. CAMERANO: Hi. How are you?
MR. YANNETTI: I’m good. I’m good. To Mr. Lally’s last point, after that series of text messages that you had early in the morning on January 29th of 2022, you said you didn’t hear from Ms. Read or didn’t have any communication with her after that; is that right?
MS. CAMERANO: Yes.
MR. YANNETTI: Did you reach out to her text-message-wise?
MS. CAMERANO: No.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. Were you aware that her phone had shortly been -- had been seized shortly thereafter from her?
MS. CAMERANO: No.
MR. YANNETTI: Okay. Thank you.
MR. YANNETTI: That’s all I have, Your Honor.
JUDGE CANNONE: All right. Ms. Camerano -- There’s nothing else, Mr. Lally?
MR. LALLY: No, Your Honor.
JUDGE CANNONE: Ms. Camerano, you are all set. Thank you.
MS. CAMERANO: Thank you.
(Whereupon, the witness is excused.)
JUDGE CANNONE: Your next witness, Mr. Lally?
MR. LALLY: Yes, Your Honor. The Commonwealth would call Mr. Curt Roberts to the stand.