DEDHAM – Ahead of the highly charged second-degree murder trial of Karen Read, Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone has ruled on a "buffer zone" outside the courthouse, capping it at a more modest 200 feet, according to CBS News. The zone is a push-back against protesters during the trial of Read, who stands accused of fatally hitting her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV during a 2022 snowstorm.
Despite the prosecution's push for a 500-foot distance, Cannone found this to be "far too excessive." The order restricts protest activities and the display of related insignias within this perimeter, and extends to individuals wearing or exhibiting any buttons, photographs, clothing, or insignia related to the case. Moreover, law enforcement officers are barred from donning their uniforms or police emblems in the courtroom while attending the trial, reported by The Boston Herald.
The ACLU opposed the proposed buffer zone as an infringement on First Amendment rights, while First Amendment lawyer Marc Randazza, representing pro-Read protesters, argued that the judge "doesn't have jurisdiction over the streets." However, legal analyst Jennifer Roman stated that such buffer zones are "well within their authority to do so," similar to ones used at abortion clinics and voting centers to protect constitutional rights.
Read, who has pleaded not guilty, faces charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision. Her boyfriend, officer O'Keefe was left to die in the cold after being struck by a car post a partying session during a snowstorm. Prosecutor Adam Lally expressed concerns about jurors being "bombarded" by external influences as they come and go from the court, thus justifying the need for a buffer zone. Defense Attorney Tanis Yannetti conveyed that the defense team holds no position on the motion, although they have "sympathy and blessing" for opinions opposing the buffer zone expressed by the ACLU, in a statement obtained by The Boston Herald. The trial is slated to begin April 16.
