Karen Learn trial: Jury asks decide questions on costs and proof in homicide of Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe
BOSTON — A jury requested questions Tuesday as they proceed to deliberate within the Karen Learn retrial.
Learn, 45, is accused of placing John O’Keefe along with her automotive exterior a suburban Boston home occasion and leaving him to die within the snow in January 2022.
Nevertheless, Learn’s legal professionals say O’Keefe, 46, was overwhelmed, bitten by a canine after which left exterior a house in Canton in a conspiracy orchestrated by police that included planting proof in opposition to Learn.
Jurors started deliberations late final week, greater than a month after the trial began. The second full day of deliberations started Tuesday morning and ended and not using a verdict. Extra deliberations are scheduled Wednesday.
The jury signaled their confusion about jury directions, leaving many trying to find clues within the questions they’re asking.
“We acquired a query from the jurors. ‘If we discover not responsible on two costs however cannot agree on one cost, is it a hung jury on all three costs or only one cost?'” Decide Canone learn to the courtroom.
Learn is dealing with three costs: 2nd diploma homicide, vehicular manslaughter whereas drunk, and leaving the scene of an accident inflicting loss of life.
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“We do not reply theoretical questions. I inform the jurors to not be involved with the implications of their verdict and that is precisely what they’re doing right here,” the decide stated, making an attempt to reply the jurors’ query.
The case in opposition to Learn has gripped the nation and divided the Boston space, and launching a legion of supporters.
A whole lot of supporters wearing pink exterior the courtroom.
Earlier, the jury requested in regards to the cost of working beneath the affect and whether or not the video clips of Learn’s tv interviews — together with with ABC’s 20/20 — can be utilized as proof.
Daniel Medwed, a regulation professor at Northeastern College who is just not concerned within the case, stated it is “fairly attainable it’s heading for a compromise or mercy verdict, a break up verdict,” in mild of the questions.
“My take is that the jury could be homing within the OUI cost, suggesting they could have doubts about whether or not she struck him in any respect,” Medwed stated.
The protection has stated a number of jurors from the primary trial got here ahead and stated the jury was set to acquit Learn on two costs however deadlocked on a 3rd, resulting in the mistrial.
The Related Press contributed to this report.