Day 16 - May 15, 2025

Robert Alessi resumes cross-examination of forensic scientist Maureen Hartnett on two main fronts. First, he establishes that no sand, salt, or debris was found inside the broken tail light, and that no biological testing was performed on tail light fragments recovered from 34 Fairview Road. Second, he focuses extensively on the handling of John O'Keefe's gray hoodie and orange t-shirt — establishing that the items were packaged together in the same bag, that debris scraped from both garments was combined into a single collection without separation, photographing, or characterization, and that Hartnett did not know where the clothing had been before reaching the lab. Alessi concludes by distinguishing evidence Hartnett personally submitted from evidence delivered by the Norfolk Detective Unit; Hartnett says her chain-of-custody record begins when items were delivered to the lab and that she does not know their earlier storage or handling.

ADA Hank Brennan conducts redirect examination of forensic scientist Maureen Hartnett, addressing points raised during Robert Alessi's cross-examination. When asked about dents, scratches, or hair elsewhere than the right-side quarter of the Lexus, Hartnett testified that she did not note any and that she did not examine the vehicle interior. Brennan showed footage depicting snow and ice packed on the right rear at its shown January 29 timestamp; Hartnett recalled no snow on the vehicle when she saw it. Asked about January 28 Ring videos, Hartnett said she did not know of them. Brennan also asked about loose threads on O'Keefe's sweatshirt tear; Hartnett said she did not know whether they could be pulled because she had not attempted to pull them. Brennan posed hypotheticals involving a rag, blood, and cloth placement on the tail light, and objections to those questions were sustained. In response to a later admitted question about determining when an observed item was placed from a subsequent examination, Hartnett said there were too many variables to say either way.

Robert Alessi asks to republish Exhibit 147C, a photograph of the right sleeve of John O'Keefe's gray hoodie. He establishes that while Hartnett documented the tears on the sleeve, she performed no analysis of what could have caused the hole in the sweatshirt. After Alessi concludes, Hartnett says she wanted to correct something from the prior day's record. Counsel then confer off transcript, and Judge Cannone excuses Hartnett because questions from both sides are completed. The available transcript does not establish the proposed correction or its disposition.

Robert Alessi cross-examines Dr. Scordi-Bello on her autopsy methodology, the investigative information she used, her stated practice of considering possible explanations internally, and the absence of physical notes documenting those considerations. He also questions her about the occipital wound and grass; she testified that she saw no grass, made no determination from that observation, and had limited surface information.

Robert Alessi resumes cross-examination of forensic pathologist Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello. He questions her hypothermia diagnosis, including whether CPR could explain pancreatic hemorrhaging and counsel's assumed calculation of 3,700 Lucas-machine compressions. Scordi-Bello says CPR could explain pancreatic hemorrhaging, but testifies that the gastric and pancreatic findings, snow exposure, and body temperature remained consistent with hypothermia, and she does not amend that opinion. Alessi also examines gastric hemorrhage coverage and frostbite during cross-examination. Turning to injuries, Scordi-Bello says the right-eyelid laceration did not result from falling backward and hitting one's head, but that the area contacted a blunt object or surface; she also says she found no impact site when examining the lower extremities.

ADA Hank Brennan conducts redirect examination of Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello addressing two main areas raised during cross-examination. First, he rehabilitates her hypothermia opinion by having her complete a grand jury statement that defense counsel had read only partially — the full answer affirmed that gastric and pancreatic hemorrhages, viewed in context of a body found in snow, were due to hypothermia. Second, Brennan systematically establishes the investigative information Scordi-Bello had (and did not have) before filing the death certificate on April 14th: she was aware of statements from first responders that Karen Read said 'I hit him,' knew about the broken tail light and the argument, but was not aware of phone forensics, location data, health data, battery temperature data, voicemails, text messages, or media statements. Brennan also elicits that no one ever asked her to reconsider her findings after additional evidence emerged, and that the police reports in her file were minimal (11 lines and 5 lines respectively). He briefly addresses the nasal laceration, establishing it could be consistent with broken glass or plastic shards, not only a punch as suggested on cross.

Robert Alessi conducts a focused recross on two points. First, he directs Scordi-Bello to a medication list that includes omeprazole. She identifies omeprazole as a proton pump inhibitor and testifies that alcohol consumption can lead to gastric ulcers. When asked whether the gastric ulcers observed in O'Keefe's stomach could have resulted from alcohol-related ulceration rather than hypothermia, she agrees that this is possible. Second, Alessi establishes that even though Scordi-Bello had information about Karen Read's statements ('Did I hit him? Could I hit him?') before issuing her final findings in April 2022, she still could not determine the manner of death. The proceeding concludes with the judge dismissing the jury for the day.