Attorney Breaks Down Karen Read’s Lawsuit Against Two Police Agencies

BusinessAttorney Breaks Down Karen Read’s Lawsuit Against Two Police AgenciesByForbesTV,Forbes Staff.Follow AuthorJun 10, 2026, 06:07pm EDTWhat happened at 34 Fairview Road in the early morning hours of January 29th, 2022, is a question that starkly divided a community. John O’Keefe, a 16-year veteran of the Boston Police Department, was found dead in the snow in front of a fellow Boston police officer’s house. Soon, two competing stories emerged. Prosecutors alleged that O’Keefe’s then-girlfriend, Karen Read, hit John with her vehicle while she was drunk and left him to die. Read’s team laid out a different story— they alleged that not only was there no evidence John was hit by a car, but the investigation was corrupt from the start. After a first trial ended in a hung jury, Read was acquitted on all charges related to the death of O’Keefe in June 2025, and was only found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence. In June 2026, she sued the Massachusetts State Police and the Canton Police Department. In the lawsuit, she claimed she was “wrongfully prosecuted” and accused the agencies of “negligent hiring, training, and supervision of biased and corrupt police officers.” Criminal defense attorney Skye Lazaro joins “Forbes True Crime” to break down the lawsuit.Watch the full interview above. Got a tip? Share confidential information with Forbes.Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions