The Supreme Judicial Court allowed the case to proceed after the first mistrial.
What the record shows
The February 11, 2025 decision addressed efforts to prevent retrial on two charges based on post-trial reports about jurors' views.
The opinion distinguished later juror accounts from a verdict returned and accepted in court.
Limits and disputed context
This was a procedural decision, not a determination that Read caused O'Keefe's death. It preceded the June 2025 acquittals.
S37: Read v. Commonwealth: retrial decision
Court opinion on retrial following the July 2024 mistrial
Open publisher sourceS51: Read v. Commonwealth: reproduced slip opinion PDF
SJC-13663; cover page and opening reasoning, PDF pages 1-4.
Open publisher source