EMBEDDED TAILLIGHT 🧵
During the #KarenReadTrial, Prosecutor Adam Lally told the jury that John O’Keefe had microscopic pieces of taillight embedded in his clothes. On its face, it’s a damning statement. So I wanted to take a closer look…
I went through all the testimony related to this topic that came in through a number of witnesses over several different days to try to see the big picture. Let’s go through it, and you can decide if the prosecution proved it or if the defense raised enough doubt to call it into question. It’s a long read because there was A LOT so I made a few graphics with the main points if you want to skip.
During the #KarenReadTrial, Prosecutor Adam Lally told the jury that John O’Keefe had microscopic pieces of taillight embedded in his clothes. On its face, it’s a damning statement. So I wanted to take a closer look…
I went through all the testimony related to this topic that came in through a number of witnesses over several different days to try to see the big picture. Let’s go through it, and you can decide if the prosecution proved it or if the defense raised enough doubt to call it into question. It’s a long read because there was A LOT so I made a few graphics with the main points if you want to skip.
First, I’ll start with the end, which is the forensic testing. It’s pretty straightforward. Science is science. The clothes and pieces of taillight were delivered to the crime lab by Proctor on March 14, 2022, and they tested what they were given.
I do want to note that no witness uttered the word “embedded” in regard to taillight in the clothes. That is Lally’s term and he gets that from the form of testing done by Maureen Harnett in May 2023. She examined the gray sweatshirt and orange T-shirt and took what she called “scrapings” with a flat metal spatula and collected the debris from both shirts in a single envelope.
The debris was then sent to Ashley Vallier, who looked at it under a microscope and found some pieces of apparent red plastic and one piece of apparent clear plastic. The measurements ranged from 1/8thx1/16th inch to less than1/16th x less than 1/16thinch.
The items were sent to Christine Hanley, who compared it microscopically to pieces of taillight. Her conclusion was that they were consistent in color and instrumental properties and could haveoriginated from the taillight.
*I would be interested in knowing a couple things about the science. How determinative is a finding of could havecome from the same thing? And perhaps if there’s a retrial, the Crash Daddies could answer how much force would be needed to cause the taillight to break into microscopic pieces, is that possible with an impact of a human body and, if so, would there be more extensive injuries to the human? And if, as Trooper Paul opined, the taillight shredded O'Keefe's arm, wouldn't there be taillight embedded in the arm?
I do want to note that no witness uttered the word “embedded” in regard to taillight in the clothes. That is Lally’s term and he gets that from the form of testing done by Maureen Harnett in May 2023. She examined the gray sweatshirt and orange T-shirt and took what she called “scrapings” with a flat metal spatula and collected the debris from both shirts in a single envelope.
The debris was then sent to Ashley Vallier, who looked at it under a microscope and found some pieces of apparent red plastic and one piece of apparent clear plastic. The measurements ranged from 1/8thx1/16th inch to less than1/16th x less than 1/16thinch.
The items were sent to Christine Hanley, who compared it microscopically to pieces of taillight. Her conclusion was that they were consistent in color and instrumental properties and could haveoriginated from the taillight.
*I would be interested in knowing a couple things about the science. How determinative is a finding of could havecome from the same thing? And perhaps if there’s a retrial, the Crash Daddies could answer how much force would be needed to cause the taillight to break into microscopic pieces, is that possible with an impact of a human body and, if so, would there be more extensive injuries to the human? And if, as Trooper Paul opined, the taillight shredded O'Keefe's arm, wouldn't there be taillight embedded in the arm?
The real focus will be on what happened before the items got to the lab… The wet clothes were collected by Proctor and Bukhenik from the floor of the hospital on January 29, 2022 and put in one bag in Bukhenik’s truck. They drove to Dighton and back to Canton after seizing the Lexus. The two of them are seen on sally port video after the vehicle is delivered. Proctor is noted to be positioned near the rear passenger side taillight.
At the same time, there were efforts to search 34 Fairview for pieces of taillight. Seven troopers, led by O’Hara, did a detailed grid search on the lawn near the fire hydrant and flagpole. This was done several hours after the Canton PD conducted a search of the same area with a leaf blower when there was less snow and left the scene unsecured the rest of the day. O’Hara noted the presence of three unknown officers who he said were possibly from Canton PD, which was conflicted off the case. Tully was in charge of documenting and collecting the evidence. When he bagged the taillight, he wrote “pieces” of red and clear plastic on the tag.
Later that evening, the troopers had a “debrief” meeting back at Canton PD. Despite Tully being one of the three troopers who have access to the secure evidence room, he gave the bag of taillight pieces to Proctor. At around 10 pm, Proctor drove to his office to drop off the evidence in a temporary storage area, which all troopers have access. Proctor laid the clothes out to dry on butcher paper and “set aside” the taillight pieces, locked the door and left. (Keep in mind, this is the same investigation – yes, a different police department – that collected blood in Solo cups and stored them in a Stop & Shop bag right next to the Lexus.) At 10:52 pm, Proctor was texting with his high school friends about how “there will be some serious charges on the girl” and called her a “whack job cunt.”
At the same time, there were efforts to search 34 Fairview for pieces of taillight. Seven troopers, led by O’Hara, did a detailed grid search on the lawn near the fire hydrant and flagpole. This was done several hours after the Canton PD conducted a search of the same area with a leaf blower when there was less snow and left the scene unsecured the rest of the day. O’Hara noted the presence of three unknown officers who he said were possibly from Canton PD, which was conflicted off the case. Tully was in charge of documenting and collecting the evidence. When he bagged the taillight, he wrote “pieces” of red and clear plastic on the tag.
Later that evening, the troopers had a “debrief” meeting back at Canton PD. Despite Tully being one of the three troopers who have access to the secure evidence room, he gave the bag of taillight pieces to Proctor. At around 10 pm, Proctor drove to his office to drop off the evidence in a temporary storage area, which all troopers have access. Proctor laid the clothes out to dry on butcher paper and “set aside” the taillight pieces, locked the door and left. (Keep in mind, this is the same investigation – yes, a different police department – that collected blood in Solo cups and stored them in a Stop & Shop bag right next to the Lexus.) At 10:52 pm, Proctor was texting with his high school friends about how “there will be some serious charges on the girl” and called her a “whack job cunt.”
What happens next with the clothes and taillight pieces is not so clear. Proctor claims DiCicco booked the clothes into evidence the next day, but they – and the taillight pieces – were not formally logged until February 4, 2022. Bukhenik thinks they were laying out to dry for six days. Proctor acknowledged on the stand there is no log to track where the clothes and taillight pieces were between January 29 and February 4.
As to the January 29 SERT taillight evidence, Tully didn’t write his formal report until February 10, 2022. There, he noted three pieces of taillight. However, on the stand, there were five pieces of taillight in the evidence bag. He said it could either be an error in his report or that some pieces broke off the taillight.
Proctor and Bukhenik made a big deal out of the fact they don’t have access to the permanent secure evidence storage room. The troopers who do are Tully, DiCicco and Kakowski. Proctor said he and DiCicco are friends outside work and like to “bust each other’s chops.” That was seen in the texts between the two regarding the medical examiner not calling O’Keefe’s death a homicide. DiCicco and Kakowski were also part of the text where Proctor said “I’m going through his retarded client’s phone. No nudes so far.”
Kakowski and DiCicco have additional texts with Proctor as well. On June 9, 2022, the day Karen Read was charged with murder, the three had the following to say after Proctor sent a photo of Read:
Proctor: If you like women who shit themselves…The statement she made tonight … was mental.
Kakowski: That her? Smoke. What she say?
Proctor: Said the Alberts beat the shit out of O’Keefe and that’s why her taillight is cracked. She’s gross.
DiCicco: Oh fuck her. Bitch.
As to the January 29 SERT taillight evidence, Tully didn’t write his formal report until February 10, 2022. There, he noted three pieces of taillight. However, on the stand, there were five pieces of taillight in the evidence bag. He said it could either be an error in his report or that some pieces broke off the taillight.
Proctor and Bukhenik made a big deal out of the fact they don’t have access to the permanent secure evidence storage room. The troopers who do are Tully, DiCicco and Kakowski. Proctor said he and DiCicco are friends outside work and like to “bust each other’s chops.” That was seen in the texts between the two regarding the medical examiner not calling O’Keefe’s death a homicide. DiCicco and Kakowski were also part of the text where Proctor said “I’m going through his retarded client’s phone. No nudes so far.”
Kakowski and DiCicco have additional texts with Proctor as well. On June 9, 2022, the day Karen Read was charged with murder, the three had the following to say after Proctor sent a photo of Read:
Proctor: If you like women who shit themselves…The statement she made tonight … was mental.
Kakowski: That her? Smoke. What she say?
Proctor: Said the Alberts beat the shit out of O’Keefe and that’s why her taillight is cracked. She’s gross.
DiCicco: Oh fuck her. Bitch.
So without any evidence logs to show exactly what was happening with the clothes and taillight, it seems we are left having to take the word of these troopers, Proctor in particular, they handled this properly and did nothing nefarious. Does their character and apparent failure to follow protocol with chain of custody, call into question the integrity of the investigation, particularly with the embedded taillight? Do you trust them or do you have some doubt? And do you have questions about the physics of it all?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
