The high-profile murder trial of Karen Read has ended in a mistrial after five days of jury deliberation. Read was accused of murdering her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, in January 2022. The jury in Dedham, Massachusetts, could not reach a unanimous verdict, leading Judge Beverly Cannone to declare a mistrial on Monday.

The jury foreman sent notes to the judge on Friday and again on Monday, indicating that the jurors were deeply divided. “Our perspectives on the evidence are starkly divided. Some members of the jury firmly believe that the evidence surpasses the burden of proof establishing the elements of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Conversely, others find the evidence fails to meet this standard,” the foreman wrote.

Judge Cannone acknowledged the jury’s efforts and declared, “I’m not going to do that to you, folks. Your service is complete. I’m declaring a mistrial in this case. Thank you so much for your service.”

Despite the mistrial, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey announced plans to retry Read. The trial, which lasted two months, involved testimony from 74 witnesses and significant public attention. Crowds of Read supporters gathered outside the court daily, cheering her on and celebrating the mistrial ruling with chants of “free Karen Read.”

Read’s attorney, Alan Jackson, criticized the prosecution, stating, “This is what it looks like when you bring false charges against an innocent person. The Commonwealth did their worst… They failed.” Read’s defense argued that she was framed by other law enforcement officers to cover up that O’Keefe was beaten by fellow officers.

The jury, composed of six men and six women, was tasked with deciding whether Read backed over O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV and left him to die in the cold outside a home in Canton on January 29, 2022. Supporters of Read believe the mistrial should lead to the charges being dropped, claiming her innocence.