Commonwealth v. Read — Trial Archive
Trial 1 Transcript Michael Camerano
Trial 1 / Day 7 / May 8, 2024
8 pages · 7 witnesses · 2,823 lines
Seven witnesses trace John O'Keefe's final evening through two Canton bars, as the defense systematically builds a record of his loving relationship with Karen Read while the prosecution introduces Read's own pre-dawn texts — 'He's dead' and 'Last he was in the snow' — as evidence of guilty knowledge.
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Cross

Michael Camerano - Cross

Michael Camerano Alan Jackson
86 lines
Cross Michael Camerano Alan Jackson
1 1:58:11

JUDGE CANNONE: Mr. Jackson.

2 1:58:13

MR. JACKSON: Thank you, Your Honor.

3 1:58:14

MR. JACKSON: Mr. Camerano. Just a few questions. You and your wife did spend a lot of time with John O'Keefe and Karen as a couple, correct?

4 1:58:22

MR. CAMERANO: Decent amount, yes.

5 1:58:23

MR. JACKSON: Would you have considered John one of your best friends? A good friend? In fact, you were close enough that your children spent a lot of time with John O'Keefe and Karen Read as a couple and their kids, correct?

6 1:58:37

MR. CAMERANO: Correct.

7 1:58:37

MR. JACKSON: In fact, isn't it true that sometimes they would even vacation together with Mr. O'Keefe and Miss Read, correct? There was a trusting relationship that you had with both Mr. O'Keefe and Miss Read to put your kids in their care, correct? You mentioned the wonderful news about your kids — your daughter getting into this great school. I think it was called Bishop Feehan?

8 1:59:00

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

9 1:59:00

MR. JACKSON: Before the acceptance there was actually a sort of a process, like an open house, that you needed to take the kids to, correct?

10 1:59:19

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

11 1:59:20

MR. JACKSON: You took your daughter — she spent a lot of time just with Karen, Miss Read, correct? Running errands, going to Miss Read's house, having Miss Read care for her, correct?

12 1:59:45

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

13 1:59:46

MR. JACKSON: And you had no issues with that?

14 1:59:51

MR. CAMERANO: No.

15 1:59:52

MR. JACKSON: Because you liked Karen, correct?

16 1:59:56

MR. CAMERANO: Correct.

17 1:59:57

MR. JACKSON: It was probably — did you say once a week — that you would hang out with and socialize with Miss Read and Mr. O'Keefe?

18 2:00:17

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

19 2:00:18

MR. JACKSON: So you got to know them not just individually but as a couple together, correct?

20 2:00:30

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

21 2:00:30

MR. JACKSON: You saw them on most Friday nights, right?

22 2:00:33

MR. CAMERANO: Correct.

23 2:00:33

MR. JACKSON: Never saw them argue or fight?

24 2:00:35

MR. CAMERANO: no

25 2:00:36

MR. JACKSON: Matter of fact, one time you were asked about this in front of a grand jury and you said, "I wouldn't even call it bickering, it would just be banter together."

26 2:00:47

MR. CAMERANO: I guess so, yes.

27 2:00:49

MR. JACKSON: You never heard Mr. O'Keefe complain about Miss Read or vice versa?

28 2:00:53

MR. CAMERANO: No. I did hear him complain about — like when he would — when Karen would buy very nice things for the kids, like he wouldn't like that stuff, like that, or take the kids to get their nails done or something like that. So maybe spoiling the children.

29 2:01:11

MR. JACKSON: Yes. Certainly nothing to suggest that there was any abuse or anything like that, it was just a matter of fact, correct?

30 2:01:19

MR. CAMERANO: Correct.

31 2:01:20

MR. JACKSON: Mr. O'Keefe had an idea about how to raise children that was maybe a little bit more modest than Miss Read did, correct?

32 2:01:30

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

33 2:01:31

MR. JACKSON: So you described earlier — at another hearing you described a situation where Miss Read got a very expensive sweater for [unintelligible], correct?

34 2:01:42

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

35 2:01:42

MR. JACKSON: And Mr. O'Keefe's response was, "I wish she hadn't done that, that's spoiling that little girl."

36 2:01:50

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

37 2:01:50

MR. JACKSON: You would agree there are worse things in the world than spoiling a child, correct?

38 2:01:57

MR. CAMERANO: I'll let it stand.

39 2:01:59

MR. JACKSON: You never heard Mr. O'Keefe even hint at the idea of breaking up with Read?

40 2:02:06

MR. CAMERANO: Not that I can recall.

41 2:02:09

MR. JACKSON: I want to turn your attention to January 28th, if I could. We saw a video and you explained what was happening in the video where some cars were being jostled around. That was Mr. O'Keefe actually moving his car to facilitate Miss Read bringing her car over to his house to put it in the garage, correct?

42 2:02:29

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

43 2:02:29

MR. JACKSON: Kind of a chivalrous thing to do for your loved one?

44 2:02:33

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

45 2:02:34

MR. JACKSON: Didn't want her to be out in the snow if it was going to be a heavy snow, is that right?

46 2:02:41

MR. CAMERANO: Correct.

47 2:02:41

MR. JACKSON: And the idea was that even that weekend he intended that Miss Read would likely be with him and the family for the entirety of the weekend during that blizzard, correct? So she'd have a nice warm place and a dry place to put her car?

48 2:02:58

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

49 2:02:58

MR. JACKSON: You saw a video that Mr. Lally played for you — of the moment — there are several videos, but I want to direct your attention, or your memory, to the video of when Miss Read actually made her way into McCarthy's.

50 2:03:25

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

51 2:03:26

MR. JACKSON: You have that scene in your mind?

52 2:03:30

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

53 2:03:31

MR. JACKSON: You saw in the video when Miss Read actually walked into the location, how Miss Read and Mr. O'Keefe greeted each other.

54 2:03:45

MR. LALLY: Objection.

55 2:03:45

JUDGE CANNONE: I'll allow it.

56 2:03:47

MR. JACKSON: Do you agree with that?

57 2:03:50

MR. CAMERANO: They kissed.

58 2:03:52

MR. JACKSON: Would you consider a kiss affectionate?

59 2:03:56

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

60 2:03:56

MR. JACKSON: They hugged each other, correct?

61 2:03:58

MR. CAMERANO: I don't recall.

62 2:03:59

MR. JACKSON: O'Keefe put his right arm out and Miss Read sort of nestled into his embrace?

63 2:04:04

MR. CAMERANO: Okay.

64 2:04:04

MR. JACKSON: And that's when he kissed her?

65 2:04:06

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

66 2:04:07

MR. JACKSON: Okay. They seemed happy to see each other?

67 2:04:10

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

68 2:04:10

MR. JACKSON: You didn't observe — while you were at C.F. McCarthy's with them — you didn't observe any arguing or bickering between the two of them?

69 2:04:19

MR. CAMERANO: No.

70 2:04:19

MR. JACKSON: Matter of fact, they were sort of the normal, affectionate, laughing, happy couple that you were used to seeing, correct?

71 2:04:26

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

72 2:04:27

MR. JACKSON: There didn't seem to be any tension between them at C.F. McCarthy's, is that right?

73 2:04:32

MR. CAMERANO: Not that I recall.

74 2:04:33

MR. JACKSON: All right. I want to just ask a couple more questions. During the span of time that you knew them to be together, would you describe their relationship as being normal and caring?

75 2:04:45

MR. LALLY: Objection.

76 2:04:46

JUDGE CANNONE: I'll sustain that.

77 2:04:47

MR. JACKSON: I want to just draw your attention to the month before Mr. O'Keefe's passing. Would you describe their relationship to be normal, as far as you knew it?

78 2:05:01

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

79 2:05:02

MR. JACKSON: And on the day before Mr. O'Keefe's passing, would you describe their interactions to be normal and caring and affectionate?

80 2:05:12

MR. CAMERANO: Yes.

81 2:05:12

MR. JACKSON: Okay. Anything, Mr. Lally?

82 2:05:14

MR. LALLY: No redirect.

83 2:05:15

JUDGE CANNONE: All right. Mr. Camerano, thank you very much. You're all set, sir.

84 2:05:21

JUDGE CANNONE: All right, jurors, why don't we take our morning recess. We'll take 15–20 minutes.

85 2:05:28

JUDGE CANNONE: Jurors, if you'd fold and close your notebooks, placing them on your chairs, taking your belongings.

86 2:05:37

COURT OFFICER: All rise.

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