The Karen Read Case: The Real Tragedy Is Not Trending

Karen Read is allowed to be human.

The O’Keefe family is not.

In the harrowing aftermath of a brutal crime, the O’Keefe family, victims of a crime, have been stripped of their humanity and denied the grace they deserve. Long before the first trial began, strangers targeted them with relentless attacks through online media, weaponizing their grief. As the family entered the courthouse for the trial, hostile crowds gathered, jeering and booing them in a cruel public spectacle. When Peggy O’Keefe, John’s mother, showed a raw, human reaction to a moment in court during the first trial, she was viciously torn apart on social media, her pain twisted into fodder for outrage. In an apparent quest for clout, some people even visited John O’Keefe’s gravesite, taking photos and posting about the defendant. For over two years, the online frenzy surrounding the case has turned the family’s suffering into a daily bloodsport, with social media platforms becoming battlegrounds where justice is overshadowed by mob cruelty. This is not just a trial—it’s a stark reminder of how the pursuit of justice can be drowned out by a digital lynch mob, leaving victims to endure a second layer of torment.

As an attorney for more than two decades and as a dedicated observer of criminal trials for over three decades, I’ve seen countless courtroom strategies unfold. Yet, the Karen Read case, which has gripped public attention for the past two years, stands apart from the typical proceedings in courtrooms nationwide. What sets this trial apart is not just its legal complexities, but an apparent calculated orchestration behind its media frenzy. In my view, the intense spotlight on this case stems from deliberate efforts to exploit public distrust in law enforcement, amplify societal divides over policing, and craft a narrative tailored to resonate with specific, targeted audiences. This isn’t merely a trial—it’s a masterclass in manipulating public perception, where the pursuit of actual truth and justice risks being overshadowed by a carefully curated media storm designed to sway hearts and minds.

When asked about the Karen Read case, I often tell colleagues, family, and friends one thing: this case is far from normal. Unlike most criminal trials, which rarely draw significant attention, this case is a maelstrom of extraordinary elements: unprecedented media frenzy; an arrest for witness intimidation; a prior looming federal investigation that was alleged to potentially reshape the case (the case is now allegedly closed and had no impact on the trial); YouTubers and social media influencers embedded in the defendant’s camp, peddling pretrial speculation as truth; defense attorneys and attorneys with little to no criminal background flooding social media, transforming routine proceedings into salacious drama for content generating clicks and views for profit; blatant disrespect toward the presiding judge and courtroom procedure; rampant misinformation and disinformation about the judicial process; personal attacks between attorneys over differing “professionally”- based opinions; and vicious character assassinations—both personal and professional—fueled by mere disagreement. This is just a glimpse of the chaos.

Yet, amidst this spectacle, one tragic constant remains, as in most criminal trials: the victims are sidelined. For the victim’s family, the trial is a cold, brutal, disorienting ordeal where their loved one’s memory is mostly overshadowed, and the sense of agency is stripped away. In the Karen Read case, the pursuit of justice is drowned out by a circus of manipulation and division, leaving the O’Keefe family to endure not only their grief, but also a public betrayal of the justice system’s promise to honor their loss.

For the O’Keefe family, the Karen Read case has likely been an unrelenting nightmare, compounding their grief with a media circus that has all but erased the memory of John O’Keefe. By all accounts, John lived an honorable and remarkable life, yet for over two years, his name has been drowned out by a relentless media frenzy. As someone who has followed this case closely, I’m struck by how often social media creators and spectators overlook John entirely—I’ve personally observed that his name is barely mentioned in countless discussions, despite being the victim at the heart of this tragedy.

The media storm, allegedly sparked by a pro-Karen Read defense PR campaign, has been a calculated success in stoking outrage and exploiting emotions, particularly among those skeptical of law enforcement. Social media creators seized on the case early, fueling pretrial hysteria and outrage with dramatic claims that Read was “factually innocent,” framed as the tragic victim of an elaborate conspiracy involving over fifty people, including police officers. By tapping into existing distrust in law enforcement—echoing sentiments like the “Defund the Police” movement—these narratives found a ready target audience. Some spectators even seemed eager to embrace the anti-police conspiracy, rallying behind Read while sidelining John O’Keefe’s memory- but without yet knowing the facts and evidence. Unfortunately, these audience members had already made up their minds from a trial by the media, ironically rallying outside the courthouse while ignoring the actual trial going on inside that courthouse. In this distorted pursuit of justice, the true victim was forgotten, leaving the O’Keefe family to grieve not only their loss, but also the erasure of John’s legacy.

For those who seek truth and justice, the Karen Read case is a stark reminder of how narratives can obscure real crime victims. A calculated alleged PR campaign masterfully swayed audiences pretrial, primarily by exploiting emotions and distrust in law enforcement. The campaign succeeded in making Read a sympathetic figure to many, with skepticism about her culpability met with swift online vitriol and offline attacks. The campaign meticulously highlighted Read’s “humanity”—for example, her distress, her alleged medical struggles (unverified), her social ostracism from a few of the group at the Albert house, and even Karen’s own description in a recent documentary about Peggy O’Keefe’s comment that her son looked like he was injured in a car accident—to craft a palatable story. These details, sprinkled like seasoning in a gourmet dish, subtly shift perceptions, making Read’s actions that night and thereafter seem, to some, excusable, maybe even relatable.

We, as humans, are vulnerable to such tactics. In criminal cases, carefully curated snippets of information shape narratives, dropped delicately into pretrial chatter or opening statements. In the Read trial, the defense’s narrative—amplified by this alleged PR effort—paints Read as a flawed but sympathetic figure, softening the harsh reality of the crime. Some see her as royalty, a symbol of the wrongfully accused, battling corruption. Others view her as a tragic victim, unfairly targeted by a law enforcement “boys’ club.” These stories invite empathy for Read, often at the expense of the true victims.

Yet, where is that same grace for the O’Keefe family? John O’Keefe, a man of honor and integrity, is the real victim, his life erased by a crime now overshadowed by media frenzy. His family, grappling with unimaginable loss, has largely been denied the humanity afforded to Read. While Read’s struggles—her distress, her finances, her health—are endlessly discussed and dissected online, the O’Keefe family’s pain, medical challenges, or any financial burdens they may have are essentially ignored in most media coverage. Read’s behaviors are explained away, but the O’Keefe’s raw, human responses to their tragedy are met with vitriol, scorn or silence.

This is not the typical courtroom trial. This is not justice. Truth demands we center the victims—John O’Keefe and his grieving family—whose suffering has been sidelined by a manipulative narrative. We must reject the allure of carefully crafted stories aimed at targeting certain markets, think critically, and demand accountability, ensuring the voiceless are heard and the true victims are never forgotten. Justice for John O’Keefe and his family is not just a verdict; it’s a moral imperative to restore their dignity in a system and in a toxic media frenzy that has failed to honor their pain.