The final witness for the defense returned to the stand Wednesday in the Karen Read retrial, as Read has announced that she would not testify in the high-profile case.Read, 45, of Mansfield, a former adjunct professor at Bentley University, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in connection with the death of John O’Keefe, her boyfriend and a Boston police officer. Prosecutors allege that Read hit O’Keefe with her SUV during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking. Her first trial ended with a hung jury.Video: Karen Read defense down to final witness Biomechanical expert, Andrew Rentschler, continued his testimony, focusing on the inconsistencies he identified in the prosecution’s evidence and testing methods. Rentschler critiqued the work of prosecution expert Judson Welcher and Aperture, particularly their paint-transfer and taillight impact tests. He argued that the number and orientation of abrasions on ‘Keefe’s arm were inconsistent with the theory that his injuries resulted from striking the taillight of an SUV. Rentschler emphasized that Aperture’s testing lacked scientific rigor, claiming they “eyeballed” measurements and failed to provide peer-reviewed validation for their methods.Rentschler presented his own findings, which included counting 36 abrasions on O’Keefe’s arm and noting nine defects in his sleeve. He argued that these injuries would require 36 distinct points of contact, which he deemed implausible under the prosecution’s scenario.Using autopsy photos and X-rays, Rentschler demonstrated that O’Keefe’s arm and hand showed no fractures or trauma, further challenging the prosecution’s narrative. He also criticized Aperture’s use of a 90-degree arm position in their testing, asserting that it did not align with the actual injuries observed.The defense expert described his own testing methods, which included the use of a crash-dummy arm, calling it “the gold standard” for such analyses. He highlighted discrepancies in the direction of abrasions and questioned the lack of steps taken to determine whether the taillight impact scenario was even possible. Throughout his testimony, Rentschler maintained that the injuries were inconsistent with the prosecution’s claims, while defense attorney Alan Jackson underscored the scientific basis of Rentschler’s work.Meanwhile, Read announced Tuesday that she would not testify in her murder retrial after saying that she had not made up her mind on whether she would do so. “I am not testifying. The case is — it’s our last witness. (The jury) has heard my interview clips. They’ve heard my voice,” Read said to reporters outside the courthouse. “They’ve heard a lot of me.” What to know about the case:Karen Read, 45, of Mansfield, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. The prosecution says she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with her vehicle outside of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking.The defense centered on allegations of a cover-up involving members of several law enforcement agencies. They say O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog and then left outside.Testimony in Read’s first trial began on April 29, 2024, following opening statements. It ended on July 1 when jurors reported being hopelessly deadlocked, and a mistrial was declared.Read’s team vowed to keep fighting, and her defense has waged a considerable battle across multiple courts, attempting to get charges dropped or have the case thrown out entirely. Meanwhile, a federal investigation into the case concluded without any charges being filed against police.Ultimately, jury selection for Read’s retrial began on April 1 and continued through April 15. Eighteen jurors were selected, and 12 of them will deliberate on the verdicts. Alternates will be selected and separated from the deliberating jurors before deliberations begin.Video: Prosecution’s opening statementVideo: Defense’s opening statement

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