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Massachusetts Supreme Court agrees to review Karen Read murder case

The Massachusetts Supreme Court has agreed to a review of the Karen Read murder case, according to a new court filing.

In the filing, Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Dewar wrote: “I hereby reserve this case and report it without decision for determination by the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth. The parties are to prepare and file before the full court a comprehensive statement of the agreed facts necessary to resolve the issues raised in the petition.”

The Supreme Judicial Council has given Read's legal team a deadline of September 25 at the latest to submit a main brief on the case. According to the filing, the prosecutors have until October 16. The defense then has until October 25 to respond to the charges. Oral arguments are then expected to take place in November.

Last week, Read's attorney filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court, asking for the reversal of Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone's recent ruling in which she denied a request by Read's team to dismiss two of three criminal charges against her.

The charges include premeditated murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Read's lawyers made the request after several jurors reported that they had unanimously agreed to find Read not guilty on both counts at the first trial. The trial ended in a failed jury decision after the foreman told Judge Cannone that the panel was hopelessly deadlocked.

Everyone stands as the jury files into the courtroom to begin its fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial of Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)Everyone stands as the jury files into the courtroom to begin its fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial of Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Everyone stands as the jury files into the courtroom to begin its fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial of Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen Read's jury tells the judge they could not reach a unanimous verdictKaren Read's jury tells the judge they could not reach a unanimous verdict

Karen Read's jury tells the judge they could not reach a unanimous verdict

Third day of jury deliberations in the trial against Karen Read ends without a verdictThird day of jury deliberations in the trial against Karen Read ends without a verdict

Third day of jury deliberations in the trial against Karen Read ends without a verdict

Karen Read awaits the jury's verdict in her murder case at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP)Karen Read awaits the jury's verdict in her murder case at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP)

Karen Read awaits the jury's verdict in her murder case at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP)

Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury's flawed verdictDefense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury's flawed verdict

Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury's flawed verdict

Witnesses in the courtroom on Tuesday include Brian Albert, Colin Albert and Jennifer McCabe.Witnesses in the courtroom on Tuesday include Brian Albert, Colin Albert and Jennifer McCabe.

Witnesses in the courtroom on Tuesday include Brian Albert, Colin Albert and Jennifer McCabe.

Karen ReadKaren Read

Karen Read

Karen Read, center right, sits outside Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, June 10, 2024, during her trial on charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)Karen Read, center right, sits outside Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, June 10, 2024, during her trial on charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen Read, center right, sits outside Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, June 10, 2024, during her trial on charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen Read sits outside Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, June 10, 2024, during her trial on charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)Karen Read sits outside Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, June 10, 2024, during her trial on charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen Read sits outside Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Monday, June 10, 2024, during her trial on charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen ReadKaren Read

Karen Read

Karen Read smiles after listening to her attorney, Alan Jackson, during her trial, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm, leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool) Karen Read smiles after listening to her attorney, Alan Jackson, during her trial, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm, leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool)

Karen ReadKaren Read

Karen Read

Karen ReadKaren Read

Karen Read

Karen Read sits with her legal team in court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm and leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)Karen Read sits with her legal team in court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm and leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Karen Read sits with her legal team in court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm and leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Karen Read sits with her legal team in court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm and leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)Karen Read sits with her legal team in court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm and leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Karen Read sits with her legal team in court in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Read, 44, is accused of hitting her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in the middle of a northeast storm and leaving him for dead after a night of drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Read's lawyers have argued that maintaining this charge violates Read's double jeopardy protections, and they want the Attorney General to comment on the matter.

Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, by hitting him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm in Canton in January 2022.

Prosecutors said Read and O'Keefe had been drinking heavily before she dropped him off at a party at her co-worker Brian Albert's house. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.

The defense portrayed Read as the victim, saying O'Keefe was actually killed in Albert's house and then dragged outside and left to die.

Earlier this week, Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey announced that Assistant District Attorney Hank Brennan, one of Whitey Bulger's defense attorneys during his 2013 mob trial, will preside over Read's retrial.

Judge Cannone has tentatively scheduled Read's retrial for January 27, 2025.

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