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As murder suspect Karen Read rounds the country connected the halfway constituent of her 2nd trial, the crippling value of unpaid ineligible bills could beryllium alleviated by an improbable source: online crowdfunding.
Months earlier her retrial was acceptable to begin, Read told Vanity Fair she owes her defence squad implicit $5 cardinal successful ineligible fees – a full that is apt increasing with the summation of 2 caller attorneys.
"Other than feeling wrongfully persecuted and prosecuted, I consciousness incredibly violated," Read said successful the Vanity Fair interview, adding, "If I tin get the full information of this lawsuit retired successful the nationalist forum, that, to me, is priceless."
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Karen Read listens to witnesser Jessica Hyde during her execution proceedings successful Norfolk Superior Court successful Dedham, Massachusetts, connected Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)
Read pleaded not blameworthy and is facing the anticipation of beingness successful situation for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, Boston constabulary serviceman John O’Keefe. She is accused of ramming O’Keefe with her conveyance during a drunken statement earlier leaving him to frost to decease successful the beforehand gait of a fellow constabulary officer’s home successful the aboriginal greeting hours of Jan. 29, 2022.
Read’s defence squad did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.
Last year, Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial aft the assemblage was incapable to scope a verdict, mounting the signifier for a costly redo for Read.
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Karen Read, center, and her ineligible squad get astatine Norfolk County Superior Court successful Dedham, Massachusetts, connected April 25, 2025. (David McGlynn for Fox News Digital)
Since her archetypal trial, Read’s defence squad has introduced 2 caller players, with attorneys Robert Alessi and Victoria George joining Alan Jackson, David Yannetti and Elizabeth Little.
To assistance subsidize her expenses, Read reportedly sold her Mansfield location for $810,000 successful November 2024 and is surviving disconnected of her 401(k) status money aft losing her jobs arsenic a Bentley University concern prof and Fidelity Investments equities expert pursuing her arrest.
In summation to turning to her equity, galore crowdfunding sites person been kick-started to assistance Read spot distant astatine her ineligible fees – a communal maneuver utilized successful high-profile tribunal cases wherever bills could emergence into the 7 figures.
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Karen Read smiles arsenic defence lawyer David Yannetti speaks to reporters successful beforehand of Norfolk Superior Court aft the justice declared a mistrial, July 1, 2024 successful Dedham, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
"There are galore examples of high-profile defendants paying out-of-pocket for their defense," transgression defence lawyer Andrew Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. "O.J. Simpson is the classical example. But it is astonishing erstwhile high-profile, non-wealthy individuals wage out-of-pocket for their full defense."
A Justice for Karen Read ineligible defence fund, organized by Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP, is closing successful connected $1 cardinal raised, with donations continuing to determination successful arsenic Read’s 2nd proceedings wraps up its 4th week.
"Keep fighting," 1 anonymous donor wrote. "I judge successful Karen’s innocence and grateful she has an astonishing squad defending her."
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Werksman Jackson & Quinn did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.
Additionally, the Free Karen Read Movement has launched a website selling sweatshirts, T-shirts and different apparel successful enactment of Read, portion advocating for her innocence.
Earlier this month, supporters hosted a ticketed meal enactment successful a adjacent municipality to rise wealth for Read. Seats were priced astatine $100 and included a unrecorded DJ, raffle and currency bar.
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Karen Read talks with her attorneys, Robert Alessi and David Yannetti, right, during her proceedings astatine Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool)
The lawsuit organizers did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.
While turning to nationalist methods arsenic a mode to bankroll ineligible funds increases, experts caution the foundation could travel with strings attached.
"A third-party backing root is some a blessing and a curse," Stoltmann said. "They tin supply indispensable funds to enactment connected a top-flight defense, but they besides thin to person a disproportionate magnitude of sway with the attorneys since the bills are being paid by the 3rd party. It’s an ethical quagmire for the attorneys connected cases."
KAREN READ'S DEFENSE OPENS DOOR FOR SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO BRING IN NEW EVIDENCE: COURT DOCS
Read’s defence squad did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for remark connected whether she plans to judge the funds.
In airy of the hefty terms tag for ineligible representation, it is not uncommon for attorneys to instrumentality connected high-profile cases for a reduced complaint successful speech for publicity.
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"Many transgression defence lawyers volition instrumentality a lawsuit pro bono oregon astatine a severely discounted complaint if it’s a high-profile lawsuit and there’s a large woody of quality and tv coverage," Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. "This often leads to a tsunami of caller clients coming successful the doorway for years aft the proceedings takes place. This mightiness beryllium what’s happening successful Karen Read’s case."
While Read’s destiny remains successful the hands of the jury, her accidental to support her state – and wide her sanction – continues to travel astatine an incredibly precocious cost.
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"I’m not backing down now," Read told Vanity Fair. "As scary arsenic a imaginable condemnation is, I volition spell to jailhouse for thing I didn’t bash earlier I plea out. I volition ne'er springiness them that win."
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