It has been roughly seven months since a jury foreman in Dedham looked Karen Read in the eye and said "not guilty" on the charges that mattered most. You’d think that would be the end of it. It isn't. Not even close. If you’ve been following the Karen Read trial today, you know that the dust hasn't settled on the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. Instead, 2026 has kicked off with a flurry of legal debris that looks more like a demolition site than a resolution.
This week alone, we saw Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey basically throw in the towel, announcing he won’t seek reelection. This is huge. Morrissey has been the face of the prosecution for fifteen years, but the fallout from the Read case—the protests, the "Free Karen Read" shirts, and the glaring spotlight on how his office handled the investigation—clearly took its toll. His departure feels like the final collapse of a long-standing wall in Massachusetts politics.
The Lexus is for Sale
If you want a weirdly literal symbol of how this case is being dissected and sold off, look at the auction block. Karen Read’s 2021 Lexus LX 570—the very vehicle prosecutors claimed she used to back into O’Keefe in a snowy Canton yard—is going up for auction on January 30, 2026.
It’s in "great condition," apparently. 12,000 miles. It feels a bit macabre to imagine someone driving that SUV to the grocery store after it spent years being examined for tail light fragments under a microscope. Read got the car back last summer after her retrial ended, and now, it seems she's trying to liquidate whatever she can to stay afloat.
Where Does Karen Read Stand Now?
Honestly, the "acquittal world" isn't as sunny as she probably hoped. Read recently sat down for a massive two-hour interview on the Rotten Mango podcast, and she sounded... tired. She’s living with her parents. She’s broke. She basically admitted that the legal bills have wiped her out—she sold her home, cashed out her retirement, the whole nine yards.
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"I’m still not living in an acquittal world," she said. "I thought I would just bounce back on a spring. It hasn’t been that way."
She’s also not safe—or at least, she doesn't feel safe. She told podcast host Stephanie Soo that she wants out of Massachusetts. Can you blame her? She spent years being the most polarizing figure in the state. Half the people in Canton think she’s a cold-blooded killer who got away with it; the other half think she’s a victim of the most elaborate police cover-up in modern history. That's a lot of weight to carry when you're just trying to buy a coffee.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2025 Verdict
There is a common misconception that Karen Read is totally "off the hook." That’s technically wrong. While she was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in June 2025, she was actually convicted of operating under the influence (OUI). She’s currently serving a year of probation for that.
But the real legal drama has shifted from the criminal court to the civil side.
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The Wrongful Death Suit
John O’Keefe’s family isn't letting this go. They filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read, which is still grinding through the system. Civil trials have a much lower burden of proof than criminal ones. Remember O.J. Simpson? He was acquitted in criminal court but found liable in civil court. That’s the tightrope Read is walking right now.
Read is Suing Back
She isn't just playing defense anymore. Read has filed her own explosive civil lawsuit against the investigators and witnesses she claims framed her. We’re talking about the "McAlberts," the McCabes, and the disgraced former State Trooper Michael Proctor.
Proctor is a name you’ll keep hearing. He was the lead investigator who sent those truly vile texts about Read during the original investigation. As of late 2025, he’s been officially banned from law enforcement in Massachusetts. His career is over, but the wreckage of his work is still being picked through by lawyers.
The Michael Proctor Fallout
The "Proctor effect" is real and it’s spreading. Because his credibility was shredded during the Read trials, the Norfolk County DA's office is now having to review other cases he touched. It’s a mess.
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- Integrity Checks: Every conviction Proctor helped secure is now a potential target for appeal.
- Federal Oversight: The FBI’s involvement in the Read case was unprecedented. They brought in independent crash reconstruction experts who basically said the physics didn't support the prosecution's theory. That federal "shadow" still hangs over the state's judicial system.
- Local Politics: Canton has a new police chief now, Michael Daniels. They’re trying to turn the page, but the town is still scarred by the "Canton Cover-up" narrative.
Why We Are Still Talking About This
The Karen Read trial today remains a obsession because it tapped into a very specific, very American fear: that the system is rigged. Whether you believe Read hit O'Keefe or he was killed in a fight inside 34 Fairview Road, the trial exposed "the man behind the curtain." It showed us raw, unedited footage of how local power structures—families, police, and DAs—interact in small towns.
It wasn't just a murder trial. It was a reality show, a political thriller, and a forensic puzzle all rolled into one. And since there are movie deals and book deals in the works (Elizabeth Banks is reportedly playing Read in a project), this story is going to stay in the news cycle for years.
What Happens Next?
If you're following the case, here is what you need to watch for in the coming months:
- The Lexus Auction (Jan 30): This will be a circus. It’ll be interesting to see who actually buys it.
- The Wrongful Death Discovery: Keep an eye on the motions being filed in the O’Keefe family’s civil suit. We might see new evidence—or at least new testimony—that didn't make it into the criminal trials.
- The DA Race: With Michael Morrissey out, the race for Norfolk County District Attorney is going to be a referendum on the Karen Read case. Whoever runs will have to answer one question: "How would you have handled the Read prosecution?"
The story of Karen Read didn't end with a verdict. It just changed formats. We've moved from the "Whodunnit" phase into the "Who Pays for It" phase. For Read, for the O’Keefe family, and for the town of Canton, the cost is already higher than anyone expected.
Actionable Next Steps for Following the Case:
- Monitor the Civil Docket: Follow the Norfolk Superior Court filings for the O’Keefe v. Read civil suit; this is where the next major testimony will likely occur.
- Watch the January 30th Auction: Check local Massachusetts news outlets (like Boston 25 or NBC10 Boston) for the results of the Lexus auction, as the sale price may reflect the "true crime" premium or stigma attached to the vehicle.
- Track the DA Election: Research the candidates stepping up to replace Michael Morrissey to understand how the county plans to reform its investigative protocols following the Michael Proctor scandal.