Jurors in the retrial of Karen Read heard the conclusion of lengthy testimony from a cellphone expert and the start of testimony from a key witness, Jen McCabe. After they left the room, however, Judge Beverly Cannone issued a stern ruling that could significantly impact the future of the case. “No more nonsense. Let’s just try this case,” Cannone said while announcing her decision to allow two controversial witnesses to testify for the defense. The judge expressed her displeasure at “repeated violations” by Read’s team regarding the sharing of information about the two witnesses from forensics and engineering firm ARCCA, but ultimately decided that “a defendant’s right to a fair trial is paramount.” “I’m going to allow the ARCCA witnesses to testify, I am going to allow what I expect to be a very robust cross-examination and I am going to allow them to testify to everything they said up until yesterday,” Cannone announced. ARCCA employees Daniel Wolfe and Andrew Rentschler both testified during the first trial, where they were initially presented as independent experts but the company was later paid by the defense.A report on additional testing ARCCA conducted for the case is expected on May 7, and Cannone told the prosecution she would consider any requests that result from that report. Before she left the bench, Cannone admonished the defense to comply with future court orders.”I expect counsel to comply with all rulings and rules of the court and all rules of professional conduct,” she said. Earlier in the afternoon, witness Jen McCabe was called to begin testifying. McCabe, a prosecution witness who was at the house party in Canton where O’Keefe was eventually found, clashed with the defense during the first trial last year.During the first trial, McCabe testified that she was at the Waterfall Bar & Grille with the couple on the night in question and asked them to go to the Albert family’s house on Fairview Road after the bar closed. She and her husband, Matt McCabe, both said they saw Read’s SUV outside 34 Fairview Road, but that neither O’Keefe nor Read ever came inside. The defense alleges that McCabe’s phone was used to search Google for “how long to die in cold” at 2:27 a.m., hours before O’Keefe’s body was found in the snow. The prosecution disputes the time of the search and says Read asked her to do the search after the body was found. McCabe previously testified that she drove a hysterical Read to Fairview Road in Read’s SUV, where she said Read spotted O’Keefe in the snow before anyone else and repeatedly made incriminating statements. Read, 45, of Mansfield, a former adjunct professor at Bentley University, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Her first trial ended with a hung jury.Video Below: Defense questions accuracy of cellphone dataEarlier, the prosecution’s cellphone data expert concluded his testimony. Ian Whiffin is a digital forensics examiner for Cellebrite, who wrote a report for the prosecution about the movement and temperature of O’Keefe’s cellphone. During cross-examination, he acknowledged that it is possible the phone did go inside the house. Defense attorney Robert Alessi asked about the health data on O’Keefe’s phone, which indicates 36 steps for 20 seconds at about 12:32 a.m. Whiffin said one of the possible reasons for the loss of movement accuracy is that the device “entered a building/covered area.”The defense is trying to convince the jury that O’Keefe entered the house where he was assaulted, and even though his phone’s battery temperature dropped, it didn’t drop as quickly as in two experiments that Whiffin conducted. What to know about the case:Karen Read, 45, of Mansfield, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. The prosecution says she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with her vehicle outside of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking. The defense centered on allegations of a cover-up involving members of several law enforcement agencies. They say O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog, and then left outside.Testimony in Read’s first trial began on April 29, 2024, following opening statements. It ended on July 1, when jurors reported being hopelessly deadlocked, and a mistrial was declared.Read’s team vowed to keep fighting, and her defense has waged a considerable battle across multiple courts, attempting to get charges dropped or have the case thrown out entirely. Meanwhile, a federal investigation into the case concluded without any charges being filed against police.Ultimately, jury selection for Read’s retrial began on April 1 and continued through April 15. Eighteen jurors were selected, and 12 of them will deliberate on the verdicts. Alternates will be selected and separated from the deliberating jurors before deliberations begin. Video below: Prosecution’s opening statementVideo below: Defense’s opening statement

CANTON, Mass. —Jurors in the retrial of Karen Read heard the conclusion of lengthy testimony from a cellphone expert and the start of testimony from a key witness, Jen McCabe. After they left the room, however, Judge Beverly Cannone issued a stern ruling that could significantly impact the future of the case.

“No more nonsense. Let’s just try this case,” Cannone said while announcing her decision to allow two controversial witnesses to testify for the defense.

The judge expressed her displeasure at “repeated violations” by Read’s team regarding the sharing of information about the two witnesses from forensics and engineering firm ARCCA, but ultimately decided that “a defendant’s right to a fair trial is paramount.”

“I’m going to allow the ARCCA witnesses to testify, I am going to allow what I expect to be a very robust cross-examination and I am going to allow them to testify to everything they said up until yesterday,” Cannone announced.

ARCCA employees Daniel Wolfe and Andrew Rentschler both testified during the first trial, where they were initially presented as independent experts but the company was later paid by the defense.

A report on additional testing ARCCA conducted for the case is expected on May 7, and Cannone told the prosecution she would consider any requests that result from that report.

Before she left the bench, Cannone admonished the defense to comply with future court orders.

“I expect counsel to comply with all rulings and rules of the court and all rules of professional conduct,” she said.

Earlier in the afternoon, witness Jen McCabe was called to begin testifying. McCabe, a prosecution witness who was at the house party in Canton where O’Keefe was eventually found, clashed with the defense during the first trial last year.

During the first trial, McCabe testified that she was at the Waterfall Bar & Grille with the couple on the night in question and asked them to go to the Albert family’s house on Fairview Road after the bar closed. She and her husband, Matt McCabe, both said they saw Read’s SUV outside 34 Fairview Road, but that neither O’Keefe nor Read ever came inside.

The defense alleges that McCabe’s phone was used to search Google for “how long to die in cold” at 2:27 a.m., hours before O’Keefe’s body was found in the snow. The prosecution disputes the time of the search and says Read asked her to do the search after the body was found.

McCabe previously testified that she drove a hysterical Read to Fairview Road in Read’s SUV, where she said Read spotted O’Keefe in the snow before anyone else and repeatedly made incriminating statements.

Read, 45, of Mansfield, a former adjunct professor at Bentley University, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Her first trial ended with a hung jury.

Video Below: Defense questions accuracy of cellphone data

Earlier, the prosecution’s cellphone data expert concluded his testimony.

Ian Whiffin is a digital forensics examiner for Cellebrite, who wrote a report for the prosecution about the movement and temperature of O’Keefe’s cellphone. During cross-examination, he acknowledged that it is possible the phone did go inside the house.

Defense attorney Robert Alessi asked about the health data on O’Keefe’s phone, which indicates 36 steps for 20 seconds at about 12:32 a.m. Whiffin said one of the possible reasons for the loss of movement accuracy is that the device “entered a building/covered area.”

The defense is trying to convince the jury that O’Keefe entered the house where he was assaulted, and even though his phone’s battery temperature dropped, it didn’t drop as quickly as in two experiments that Whiffin conducted.

What to know about the case:

Karen Read, 45, of Mansfield, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. The prosecution says she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with her vehicle outside of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking.

The defense centered on allegations of a cover-up involving members of several law enforcement agencies. They say O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog, and then left outside.

Testimony in Read’s first trial began on April 29, 2024, following opening statements. It ended on July 1, when jurors reported being hopelessly deadlocked, and a mistrial was declared.

Read’s team vowed to keep fighting, and her defense has waged a considerable battle across multiple courts, attempting to get charges dropped or have the case thrown out entirely. Meanwhile, a federal investigation into the case concluded without any charges being filed against police.

Ultimately, jury selection for Read’s retrial began on April 1 and continued through April 15. Eighteen jurors were selected, and 12 of them will deliberate on the verdicts. Alternates will be selected and separated from the deliberating jurors before deliberations begin.

Video below: Prosecution’s opening statement

Video below: Defense’s opening statement