Karen Read: Acquittal Doesn’t End Legal Battle; Civil Suit Looms

Despite her acquittal on most charges in the John O’Keefe death case, Karen Read faces an ongoing civil lawsuit. The O’Keefe family’s wrongful death suit alleges negligence on Read’s part and accuses two Canton bars of over-serving her.

The suit claims Read was intoxicated and involved in a hit-and-run incident involving O’Keefe, citing evidence of multiple alcoholic drinks consumed at two establishments. The plaintiff seeks at least $50,000 in damages.

Read’s legal team successfully delayed the civil suit until after the criminal trial, citing Fifth Amendment self-incrimination concerns. However, this delay is now over, and the civil case will proceed. The lower burden of proof in civil cases (preponderance of evidence) significantly alters the legal landscape compared to the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard in criminal cases.

While Read’s criminal case concluded with an OUI conviction, resulting in a potential probationary sentence, the civil case presents a new set of challenges with potentially significant financial ramifications.

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