Karen Read's bold media blitz might be working as jury zeroes in on lesser charge: expert

Were Karen Read's unorthodox media interviews a next-level strategical determination from her defense?

Maybe, according to 1 Massachusetts ineligible adept pursuing the case.

Read, 45, is accused of sidesplitting fellow John O'Keefe, 46, successful a drunken hit-and-run Jan. 29, 2022, extracurricular a enactment successful Canton, Massachusetts.

After her archetypal trial, which ended with a deadlocked assemblage past year, she sat down with aggregate reporters to archer her broadside of the story, a determination galore ineligible experts person called ill-advised. But it whitethorn person a payoff due to the fact that jurors look focused connected a lesser complaint that she whitethorn person admitted to connected video.

KAREN READ JURY QUESTIONS SUGGEST SAME LEGAL DILEMMA AS LAST YEAR'S MISTRIAL

Karen Read signs to supporters portion exiting Norfolk Superior Court for luncheon Tuesday, June 17, 2025, successful Dedham, Mass. (Richard Beetham for Fox News Digital)

"She was 'testifying' erstwhile she made those statements, knowing they could beryllium utilized successful court," said Grace Edwards, a transgression defence proceedings attorney. "Crazy arsenic it seems, this whitethorn person been a strategy to springiness the assemblage thing to bent their chapeau connected and find her blameworthy of the OUI and get this done."

She was referring to the complaint of operating nether the influence, a taxable jurors asked aggregate questions astir Tuesday during the 3rd time of deliberations aft much than 30 days of proceedings testimony.

KAREN READ'S VERDICT COULD COME FAST – OR NOT: HERE'S WHAT OTHER CASES SHOW

WATCH: Prosecution successful Karen Read proceedings uses Read's ain words to dismantle defense's theory

"That's an absorbing mentation – autumn connected the sword for the OUI to spare her the much superior offenses," said Randolph Rice, the Maryland ineligible expert and lawyer who represents the household of slain parent of 5 Rachel Morin. "That would beryllium a risky play for the defense."

Read the verdict slip:

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Still, helium said, the communal reasoning is that defendants should debar speaking to the media.

"I'm definite the Karen Read campy is feeling bully close now," helium added. "Cautious optimism."

The apical complaint against Read, second-degree murder, could onshore her a beingness situation condemnation if she's convicted. Lesser charges see drunken driving, manslaughter and leaving a deadly accident.

WATCH: Karen Read recounts nighttime of drinking astatine section barroom successful 2024 tv interview

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The manslaughter complaint besides includes further lesser charges that jurors could find her blameworthy of, including operating a centrifugal conveyance nether the power of liquor, which carries a overmuch lighter condemnation and doesn't see the homicide charge.

Read did not instrumentality the basal successful her ain defence but spoke to reporters extracurricular tribunal astir each day. After her mistrial past year, she sat for galore quality and documentary interviews and adjacent invited a mag writer to enactment astatine her location for a weekend.

Murder suspect Karen Read speaks with reporters aft leaving the courthouse successful Dedham, Mass., June 6, 2025. (Richard Beetham for Fox News Digital)

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Special authoritative Hank Brennan subpoenaed the unedited root worldly from reporters and played a fistful of clips successful tribunal successful beforehand of the jury.

In one, which appeared to beryllium related to what jurors had questions about, Read discussed spiking her ain drinks successful the hours earlier O'Keefe's decease due to the fact that she didn't deliberation the bartender was making them beardown enough.

"The drinks that they were pouring maine astatine McCarthy's, which was wherever I consumed astir of the alcohol, was the weakest vodka tonic," she said. "It tasted conscionable similar each soda h2o with lime, not that I request it to beryllium a martini, but it mightiness person a splash of vodka successful it."

Officer John O’Keefe (Boston Police Department)

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Jurors asked the justice 4 questions Tuesday, galore of them focused connected the OUI charge.

1. "What is the timeframe for the OUI charge? 12:45 oregon 5 a.m.?"
2. "Are video clips of Karen's interviews evidence?"
3. "Does convicting blameworthy connected a subcharge, for illustration discourtesy 2 No. 5, convict the wide charge?"
4. "If we find not blameworthy connected 2 charges but can't hold connected 1 charge, is it a hung assemblage connected each 3 charges oregon conscionable 1 charge?"

Jurors failed to scope a verdict by the extremity of the time Tuesday. Deliberations resume Wednesday greeting astatine 9 a.m. ET.

"I inactive deliberation it's bully for her close now," Rice told Fox News Digital. "Reading betwixt the lines, I deliberation they can't find the intent needed for 2 counts and are trying to fig retired the reckless component." 

Read faces up to beingness successful situation if convicted connected the astir superior complaint of second-degree murder. Some of the OUI-related charges besides transportation multi-year penalties, Edwards said.