Commonwealth v. Read — Trial Archive
Trial 2 Trial Day
◀ Day 30 Trial 2 Day 32 ▶

Day 31 - June 11, 2025

Rentschler

Judge Beverly J. Cannone
5Proceedings
4Pages
1Witnesses
1,845Lines
Day 31 of 36
Appearing:
Hank BrennanAlan JacksonAndrew Rentschler

Defense biomechanical expert Dr. Andrew Rentschler completed testimony after cross-examination that challenged his independence and methods; later, the Commonwealth announced conditional no rebuttal after a defense rest.

Full day summary

Dr. Andrew Rentschler concluded direct examination with impact-testing and slow-motion video analysis supporting his opinion that O'Keefe's injuries were inconsistent with a Lexus tail-light strike. On cross, ADA Hank Brennan questioned Rentschler about trial updates supplied by the retaining client before Trial 1, his post-testimony socializing and deleted texts, his wheelchair-focused publication record, and the literature and methodology underlying his analysis. Rentschler denied breaking sequestration, described roughly two scheduling texts he likely deleted, acknowledged no source stating the Hybrid III arm was suitable for determining superficial abrasions, and rejected Brennan's characterization of the implications for his broader analysis. Brennan also asked about physical evidence Rentschler had not considered, including tail-light fragments in O'Keefe's clothing, glass in his nose, and other scene items. On redirect, Rentschler said he did not know when, how, or by whom plastic pieces reached 34 Fairview and gave his opinion, to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, that O'Keefe's injuries were not consistent with being struck by the Lexus. After the jury was dismissed, the Commonwealth said it would call no witnesses or present further evidence after the defendant rests; Yannetti renewed the motion for required finding, and Judge Cannone scheduled a charge conference for Thursday with closing arguments set for Friday.

Key Moments
  • Rentschler testified that 36 arm abrasions, absent hand fractures, and absent lower-extremity injuries are collectively inconsistent with an SUV strike at any tested speed.
  • Brennan impeached Rentschler with his own prior sworn testimony admitting that receiving trial updates from his client before Trial 1 'certainly helped prepare me to understand what was going on during the trial,' directly contradicting denials made earlier in the cross.
  • Brennan questioned Rentschler about his wheelchair-focused publications and whether three cited references supported use of crash-test dummies for superficial-abrasion analysis; Rentschler acknowledged no source saying the Hybrid III arm was suitable for that determination but rejected Brennan's broader characterization of his testing and analysis.
  • On recross, Brennan asked whether O'Keefe could have been clipped by the vehicle; Rentschler acknowledged that a person can generally be clipped but said he did not believe that scenario fit the evidence in this case.
  • The Commonwealth said that, after the defendant rests, it would call no witnesses or present further evidence; Yannetti renewed the motion for required finding, and Judge Cannone set a charge conference for Thursday with closing arguments for Friday.
Notable Quotes
Andrew Rentschler
“I said it certainly helped prepare me to understand what was going on during the trial. Yes.”
During cross, Brennan confronted Rentschler with his prior sworn statement that receiving trial information helped him understand the trial. Rentschler had said the retaining client supplied the information and denied breaking sequestration.
Andrew Rentschler
“No, they are not.”
Rentschler's closing statement of his ultimate defense opinion — delivered to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty — framing the entire day's testimony in a single word.
Andrew Rentschler
“Well, I don't believe that's consistent with the evidence and what occurred. I mean, someone can get clipped by a car, sure. But in this case, no. I don't believe the evidence indicates that's what occurred.”
On brief recross, Brennan asked whether O'Keefe could have been clipped rather than struck more fully. Rentschler said a person can generally be clipped by a car but did not believe that scenario was consistent with the evidence in this case.
Video thumbnail for Day 31 — Rentschler 7h 30m
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1. Andrew Rentschler — Direct (Part 2)

On direct, Dr. Rentschler presented ARCCA testing and opined that the arm injuries, absent fractures or bruising, and body trajectory were inconsistent with the proposed tail-light strike.

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Direct
Andrew Rentschler Alan Jackson
700 lines

2. Andrew Rentschler — Cross

Brennan cross-examined Rentschler over independence, testing, and scene evidence; Rentschler denied breaking sequestration and disputed Brennan’s broader characterization of his analysis.

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Cross
Andrew Rentschler Hank Brennan
990 lines

3. Andrew Rentschler — Redirect/Recross

Redirect elicited Rentschler's opinions that the shard path and O'Keefe's injuries did not fit a Lexus strike. He said he did not know how plastic reached 34 Fairview and rejected Brennan's case-specific clipping theory on recross.

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Redirect
Andrew Rentschler Alan Jackson
72 lines
Recross
Andrew Rentschler Hank Brennan
34 lines

4. Procedural — Motions

End-of-day motions covered the Commonwealth's PowerPoint objection, a conditional no-rebuttal announcement after a defense rest, sweatshirt exhibits, and scheduling Thursday's charge conference and Friday closings.

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Procedural
Procedural - Motions
49 lines

After the jury was dismissed, Judge Cannone addressed several pending matters. The Commonwealth, through Brennan, objected to admitting Dr. Rentschler's PowerPoint presentation, arguing that prior decisions about experts' materials were strategic. Jackson argued the PowerPoint should be admitted since specific slides were already removed at the prosecution's request. The judge deferred ruling, asking Jackson to identify which video slides were not already in evidence. Brennan said that, after the defendant rests, the Commonwealth would not call any witnesses or put on further evidence. Yannetti renewed the motion for required finding on all evidence, deferred to the next morning. The court resolved exhibit numbering for sweatshirt-related documents (marked as 230 A through D), scheduled a charge conference for 10:00 AM the following day without jurors, and set closing arguments for Friday morning with discussion of time limits.

◀ Day 30 Trial 2 Day 32 ▶