Prosecutors challenge defense's third-party theory evidence

Prosecutors in the Karen Read case are pushing to limit her defense team's ability to suggest other people were responsible for the death of her boyfriend, John O'Keefe. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan criticized Read's lawyers for presenting names "randomly" without supporting evidence. He wants the defense barred from making a third-party suspect argument during her upcoming trial, which is set to begin on April 1. Read's defense claims they have evidence implicating three people: Brian Albert, a retired Boston police officer; Colin Albert, his nephew; and Brian Higgins, an ATF agent. However, during court proceedings, Read's team did not disclose their evidence, which led Judge Beverly Cannone to withhold a ruling on Brennan's motion. Both sides requested a delay in the trial to allow time for an appeal regarding double jeopardy. However, the judge ruled that jury selection will proceed as planned on April 1, although the swearing-in of jurors could be postponed if necessary. In a related matter, Brennan asked to access two phones belonging to blogger Aidan Kearney, arguing that communication with Read may show "consciousness of guilt." Kearney faces charges of witness intimidation linked to the case. Kearney's attorney argued that the request was overly broad and irrelevant. The court also heard debates about expert witness testimony. Read's defense tried to prevent the prosecution from using biomechanical engineer Judson Welcher as an expert. They claimed his report exceeded acceptable standards. Prosecutors countered, stating that the disagreement among experts is merely a matter of opinion. Additionally, the defense sought to inform jurors that the experts they plan to call were initially hired by the federal government. Prosecutors objected, stating that this could confuse jurors regarding an ongoing investigation. The judge has yet to make a ruling on these issues.