Judge Beverly Cannone rejected a joint request from prosecutors and defense attorneys to push back Read’s court proceedings.
The judge overseeing the
murder case has declined to delay the Mansfield woman’s trial, shooting down a joint request from prosecutors and defense attorneys during a brief hearing Thursday.
Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone said it would be “premature” to push back the start of Read’s high-profile trial, which is set to begin March 12.
Lawyers on both sides had filed a joint motion last week to postpone the trial, explaining that they’re still waiting on some cell phone records, DNA test results, and information about a federal probe into Read’s arrest and prosecution.
Read, 43, is facing a second-degree murder charge in the Jan. 29, 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Prosecutors say she struck O’Keefe with her SUV while dropping him off at a home in Canton following a night out, but Read’s attorneys have alleged a widespread coverup, pointing the finger at other afterparty guests.