Karen Read defense floats theory that ‘jealous’ Brian Higgins fought John O’Keefe before death

Graphic content warningBoston Police Officer John O'Keefe's death could have been the effect of a violent love triangle involving an ATF agent and his girlfriend suspected killer Karen Read who began texting each other just weeks before he was last seen alive her defense posited on Monday inside a courtroom in Dedham Massachusetts Read now is accused of killing her -year-old boyfriend a Boston police officer on Jan Police allege she hit him with the rear end of her Lexus SUV and drove off incapacitating him and leaving him to die during a blizzard Read has pleaded not guilty and denied striking O'Keefe at all through her attorneys You were just petitioned about your opinion whether or not there was a motive that you identified for Brian Higgins to want to murder John O'Keefe defense attorney Alan Jackson demanded Sgt Yuri Bukhenik of the Massachusetts State Police I'm asking you a different question Did you in your mind in your opinion after having read those texts find a motive for Brian Higgins perhaps want to confront John O'Keefe because of jealousy KAREN READ TRIAL REVEALS FLIRTY TEXT MESSAGES WITH ATF AGENT BEHIND BOYFRIEND'S BACK If you're asking for my opinion my opinion is that he wouldn't need to confront Mr O'Keefe Bukhenik reported Mr O'Keefe was not the one pursuing Mr Higgins It was your client that was pursuing Mr Higgins On Friday Jackson had Bukhenik read through a lengthy string of texts between Read and Higgins exchanged in the weeks before O'Keefe's death where they flirted invited one another over discussed a kiss outside O'Keefe's house and frequently brought up heavy drinking Read began the conversation and Higgins' response was to ask how she got his number and why she was reaching out to him Read stopped responding a limited days before O'Keefe's death Higgins Read and O'Keefe were all present at the Waterfall Bar and Grille on Jan and Jackson urged Bukhenik whether surveillance video manifested Higgins being aggressive toward O'Keefe STATE TROOPER POINTS TO REALIZABLE WEAPON IN JOHN O'KEEFE DEATH AND IT'S NOT KAREN READ'S CARThat same night Higgins sent two unanswered texts to Read After weeks of communicating with Miss Read in a romantic manner and then seeing her walk in the door with John O'Keefe and sending the text message Umm Well after having been intoxicated do you see that detective as an investigator as a reasonable objective investigator as a attainable scenario for Brian Higgins to be jealous about John O'Keefe There's a possibility there but I didn't see it Bukhenik mentioned Did you explore that possibility Jackson reported KAREN READ'S GOOGLE TIMELINE DERAILED AGAIN AS ND EXPERT DISPUTES DEFENSE CLAIMSBukhenik testified that he did not but declared he relied on the totality of the research which led to charges against Read Bukhenik returned to the stand for his third day of testimony and spent hours answering questions His testimony concluded at the end of the day and Judge Beverly Cannone communicated him he would not have to return on Tuesday Under re-direct examination from special prosecutor Hank Brennan Bukhenik testified that green marks on the back of O'Keefe's jeans looked like grass stains that he surmised had been sustained when O'Keefe fell to the ground after being struck On cross-examination defense attorney Alan Jackson demanded if grass stains could come from someone being dragged GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB My common sense dictates that it was not a drag mark because it would have linear characterizations and it would be both buttocks that are engaged in contact with the ground while being dragged Bukhenik explained Earlier in the day Bukhenik read text messages from former state Trooper Michael Proctor who has since been fired over his off-duty behavior during the initial inquiry During questioning by Jackson Bukhenik substantiated that Proctor called Read retarded commented he hated her other defense attorney David Yannetti and wrote about searching her phone for nude selfies FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME CLUB ON XJackson also played video that appears to show Brian Higgins at the Canton Police Department headquarters about an hour after prosecutors say O'Keefe died Higgins was seen on surveillance video among a group of people at the Waterfall Bar and Grille along with Read and O'Keefe on Jan He also went to an after-party at Fairview Road a home owned by another Boston cop Brian Albert O'Keefe was discovered dead outside the following morning Multiple spectators have testified that they heard Read repeatedly saying I hit him the morning Read and two former friends uncovered O'Keefe dead under a mound of snow on Albert's lawn After sending jurors to lunch Monday Cannone held a quick voir dire hearing and ultimately declared she would not allow Jackson to question Bukhenik about what he knew about the relationship between Proctor and relatives of Albert including one of his brothers Chris who was also at the Waterfall on Jan Read could face up to life in prison if convicted of the top charge second-degree murder She is also accused of manslaughter and leaving the scene of a deadly accident Police have not accused Higgins of a crime and prosecutors say Read is the only suspect in O'Keefe's death