On Monday, June 2, 2025, former Canton Police officer Kelly Dever, now with the Boston Police Department, delivered a heated testimony in the Karen Read murder retrial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts. Her combative exchange with Read’s defense team, alleging coercion and questioning her role in the case, has intensified scrutiny in the high-profile trial over the 2022 death of Boston Police officer John O’Keefe. Here’s the latest and how you can stay engaged with this gripping courtroom saga.
Dever’s Tense Courtroom Moment
Called by Read’s defense, Dever testified about her 2023 interview with federal agents investigating O’Keefe’s death. She initially claimed she saw Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz and officer Brian Higgins in the police garage with Read’s Lexus SUV for an unusually long time on January 29, 2022. After a timeline disproved her account, Dever retracted her statement, insisting she left work earlier. Defense attorney Alan Jackson accused her of facing pressure to change her story, even threatening perjury charges. Dever, visibly agitated, declared, “I don’t know why I’m here. I have no connection to this case,” and denied any misconduct by officers. Her fiery demeanor stirred debate among observers, with X posts highlighting her frustration.
The Trial’s Stakes
Read faces charges of hitting O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die in a blizzard. Her defense alleges a police cover-up, citing inappropriate texts by fired State Police investigator Michael Proctor, who insulted Read. Dever’s testimony aimed to question the investigation’s credibility, though she denied close ties to key figures like Proctor or Higgins.
Social Media Buzz
X users are divided. X users called Dever “feisty” but questioned her reliability, while others suggested her attitude hints at a broader culture of misconduct. Others called dismissed her testimony as insignificant, fueling ongoing debates about Read’s guilt or innocence.
