Day 4 - April 25, 2025

Faller, Becker

8Proceedings

3Pages

2Witnesses

768Lines

Day 4 of 36

Appearing:

The jury views 34 Fairview Road as the prosecution establishes Karen Read's blood alcohol level and paramedic Jason Becker's account of her demeanor and statements becomes the day's central dispute.

Full day summary

Day 4 opened with the jury's view of 34 Fairview Road, where prosecution and defense used their view openings to direct jurors toward competing physical details of the scene. Dr. Gary Faller then testified about Good Samaritan's laboratory procedures and the recorded timing and reported result of Karen Read's hospital blood alcohol test — 93 mg/dL — before defense attorney Elizabeth Little challenged the clinical enzymatic method on cross and Lally rehabilitated it on redirect with a study of MS patients and proficiency-testing data. Canton Fire paramedic Jason Becker testified about transporting Read to Good Samaritan on the morning of January 29, 2022, describing her as agitated but cooperative, and recounting that she described an argument as her last conversation with John O'Keefe. The remainder of the day focused on what Read meant by 'last words': Jackson proposed a connection to calls and voicemails, Becker initially agreed with a compound question, and later said Read only tried to show him her phone and he did not know whom she called. Brennan elicited Becker's account of an argument and no recalled voicemail reference; the judge sustained an objection and instructed jurors to disregard Jackson's final statement.

Key Moments

The jury views 34 Fairview Road, with both sides directing attention to competing physical features of the scene including the Lexus's bumper height, the removed tail light, distances between landmarks, and the second-floor window.
Dr. Gary Faller testifies about Good Samaritan's laboratory procedures and the recorded blood-alcohol test timeline, including a reported result of 93 mg/dL.
Elizabeth Little challenges the hospital's lack of forensic accreditation and serum-test method; Faller says it measures the rate of NADH production and that markedly elevated LDH or lactic acid can cause false positives, while maintaining multiple-sclerosis-related elevations would not interfere. The court sustained an anemia question and struck asserted article findings.
Paramedic Becker testifies that Read's demeanor was consistent with significant trauma and that she described an argument as her last conversation with O'Keefe. Jackson proposed a phone-and-voicemail connection, but Becker later said Read only tried to show him her phone and he did not know whom she called; the court sustained an objection and instructed jurors to disregard Jackson's final statement.
Prosecution and defense spend three examination rounds contesting whether Read's 'last words' referred to an in-person argument or phone-based voicemails, with Becker's grand jury statement — 'the last time they had talked she had gotten into an argument' — read into the record.

Notable Quotes

Gary Faller

“Correct. And that's because lactic acid or LDH actually forms NADH.”

Within Little's methodological challenge, Faller described a general mechanism: markedly elevated LDH or lactic acid can cause false positives. The defense explored whether that mechanism applied to Read; Faller said multiple-sclerosis-related elevations would not interfere, and the court sustained an anemia question and struck asserted article findings.

Jason Becker

“Her demeanor was consistent with having gone through a significant trauma for the situation.”

Becker characterized Read's demeanor as consistent with significant trauma, while saying he did not know what caused that trauma.

Jason Becker

“Uh, so she — she was also um — she was upset also because she said they had, you know, the last time they had talked she had gotten into an argument. So she was upset that that was like her last words to him.”

Becker reading his full grand jury statement aloud — describing Read's upset over an argument as 'her last words to him' with no mention of voicemails — is the prosecution's anchor against the defense's phone-based reframing.

Watch →

Procedural

7 lines

Procedural

Procedural - View Openings

20 lines

Judge Cannone instructs the jury on the purpose and rules of the view at 34 Fairview Road — they may use their observations in deliberations but cannot take notes, photographs, or conduct independent investigation. ADA Brennan directs the jury to observe the street, front yard, the defendant's Lexus (noting the removed right rear tail light, bumper height, and a hatchback protrusion), the flagpole, and the fire hydrant, while cautioning that weather and visibility conditions differ from January 29, 2022. Defense attorney Yannetti asks the jury to observe the house's second floor window, three front doors, the driveway, distances between key features, and to stand next to the Lexus to assess its size. Court officers are sworn in and the jury departs for the view, returning approximately 90 minutes later.

Direct

Gary Faller Adam Lally

131 lines

Cross

Gary Faller Elizabeth Little

102 lines

Redirect

Gary Faller Adam Lally

27 lines

Direct

Jason Becker Hank Brennan

189 lines