“I don’t believe that’s consistent with the evidence and what occurred,” Rentschler replied. Rentschler was the final defense witness, just as he was during Read’s first trial last summer. After he left the stand, Jackson announced Read’s defense would rest its case subject to a final ruling on evidence.

A broken taillight. A dead cop. A bombshell admission. The jury is now deliberating over whether Karen Read killed John O'Keefe.

Attorneys made their closing arguments to jurors in Norfolk Superior Court there on Friday before Judge Beverly J. Cannone sent seven women and five men away to deliberate Karen Read’s fate.

Jurors in the Karen Read trial are back for their first full day of deliberations in the high-profile case. Read is facing trial for a second time in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe.

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan admits evidence mistake in Karen Read's murder retrial as defense requests mistrial, with legal experts divided on whether the error was intentional

“As it stands now, no competent defense counsel would call Mr. Proctor,” Jack Lu, a retired superior court judge, said in an interview before Read’s defense rested this week. “He has the ability to eviscerate the defense but without him they have a path to victory.”