The Canton Community MA Station Podcast

Karen Read Hearing of March 20, 2024

Karen Read Hearing of March 20, 2024: 

There is no objection to Rule 17 regarding internal affairs docs on Trooper Proctor. 

Defense Lawyer David Yannetti: Wants contact information between Special Agent Higgins (who was there at the after-party socially) Boston Officer Brian Albert (homeowner of property where the after-party took place) Canton Police officer Kevin Albert (brother of Brian.) He also wants records of Canton Chief Berkowitz. (Chief Berkowitz, who was on medical leave at the time of the death, found taillight fragments on the lawn while driving past Brian Albert's home several days after John O'Keefe's body was found. O'Keefe was found shortly after 6AM on the lawn of Brian Albert's home the morning of the Jan. 29th "after-party.") Yannetti emphasizes that this is no fishing expedition. 

ADA Lally Response: They all knew each other. Of course they'd talk. It's the ultimate fishing expedition. 

Lawyer for Brian Albert, Greg Henning: We do not have the Rule 17 order. Objects to phone being released. Can say in open court that Brian Albert is not a subject of this investigation by the FBI. 

The judge is surprised. DA Lally apologizes for not supplying the order to the these attorneys despite the judge telling him to do so. He says he did it out of an "abundance of caution" regarding the federal order not to disclose certain information. 

Attorney Connolly for Special Agent Brian Higgins: The FBI has allowed him to confirm in open court that Higgins is not a target of the FBI investigation. He is not willing to give over his phone given Mr. Higgins position as a Federal Agent. 

Defense Attorney Yannetti: Higgins changes his story regarding calling Brian Albert at 2:22AM, before the body was found. Brian Albert changes his story and said it was a butt call during sex. Butts on the bed with phones on the night table. Never heard of so many butt calls as in this case. We know these calls took place because, thank God, another agency did the investigating. (Defense was largely unsuccessful in asking for these records back in May of 2023.) They (Feds) have these records. We do not. We need them to present them in court. 

Video of this hearing can be seen by going to: CantonCommunityTv.org 

 

Karen Read Hearing of March 12, 2024

In this March 12, 2024 9AM hearing there are details given by Defense attorney Jackson on the motion to dismiss the case. He was given ten minutes and is surprised because they were told they could have "all day" if needed. Grounds he sites: 

Chris Albert (brother of Brian--body of Officer O'Keefe was found on his front lawn) relationship with Sgt. Lank regarding a bar fight. Investigator/State Trooper Proctor is described as "second family" to the Alberts but hid this from the grand jury.

Canton officer Kevin Albert coordinates the investigation. Google search "how long to die in cold" by someone who was at the after party at 2:27AM is hidden from the jury. (O'Keefe's body was found after shortly after 6AM on the lawn where the party took place.) 

ADA Lally says the commonwealth never knowingly deceived the jury. The Lank incident was 20 years ago. Brian Albert did not come out of his house but neither did neighbors. I was cold outside. 

Continuing: There was no fight. No dog attack. Ask that you deny motion to dismiss. 

Defense Rebuttal: FBI says John O'Keefe's injuries were inconsistent with contact with a car. Integrity is missing from this investigation. DA Michael Morrissey's video calling Karen Read guilty is misconduct. Gag orders were attempted. He called the defense theory desperate. And there was a group conference call with witnesses before the grand jury hearing took place. Morrissey's interest is not justice. 

DA Response: That video was six months ago. He had no choice because of a rolling rally calling the witnesses murderers. DA Morrissey had to respond. Kearney's (Journalist that first called the case suspicious, known as Turtleboy) (State) seized phone shows Read spoke to Kearney. The Phone doesn't lie. 

The video is available at: CantonCommunityTv.org 

Karen Read Hearing of February 26, 2024

Karen Read's attorney in this hearing says there is too much data given by Federal investigators on Feb. 22nd to be ready for trial in March. The date was extended to April 16th, 2024. Commonwealth argues there's not a lot of new information in what the federal government gave them. 

Commonwealth V. Aidan Kearney (Attorney Bradl) Jan. 26, 2024

In this hearing Special Prosecutor Ken Mello asks Judge Squires-Lee to bring sanctions against Kearney's attorney Tim Bradl for misidentifying as an attorney (the other as a paralegal) two persons so that they could speak to Kearney unrecorded. (Kearney is currently in jail for bail violations of a witness intimidation charge for a domestic that allegedly took place on Dec. 24th.) 

Attorney Bradl said the Attorney classification was an obvious error (calling one an attorney and the other a paralegal. One works with Bradl and the other works for a first amendment rights non-profit. Their actual credentials were never made clear in court.) and that the motion said there were 60 calls when there were actually 6. 

Preposed Sanctions included 10K in fines against Bradl and the court would monitor ALL future communications between Mr. Kearney and anyone else, including his attorney. This client/attorney privilege elimination was admitted to be unprecedented by DA Mello, but justified Mello believes, because the misidentification of the two as attorneys. He felt it was done with intent so that one of the woman, "a minion" of Kearney's according to the DA,  could be instructed to further intimidate witnesses in the Karen Read case.

This fascinating  exchange between the judge and DA Mello is real-life court. What is evidence? How much power does a judge have to levy these punishments Mello preposes? And under what circumstances, if any, should a defendant be stripped of his client/attorney privilege? 

To see the video on Canton CommunityTv link here: 

http://reflect-cctv-vod.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/2835?site=3

 

From the Canton Public Library: AAUW Speaker Series with Author Kristin Noone discussing her book on leadership

AAUW Speaker Series with Author Kristin Noone discussing her book on leadership: Leading with Vision, Integrity, and Inspiration. 

About the Speaker:

Dr. Kristin Noone has extensive experience as a manager and consultant for a variety of industries and has worked as a leader in the non-profit sector. She is the former President and CEO of Noone Consulting, Inc., a marketing and strategic planning consulting firm, which was originally founded in Arizona then relocated to Massachusetts. For over a decade, Dr. Noone has been teaching a wide breadth of courses in the communication, management, and marketing fields at both two-year and four-year institutions including Curry College, Bunker Hill Community College, and Colorado Technical University. Dr. Noone is currently a tenured professor at Quincy College, and recently led a team in the creation of the first bachelor’s degree program ever offered at Quincy College.

 

Taped at the Canton Public Library on Jan. 23, 2024

Notes From Canton: CCTv's David Wells with Carolann Solebello

Have a listen to the story of the creative journey of Carolann Solebello. 

She's a theatre actress and a movie actress but most well known for her many Folk albums and sideman jobs in many different Folk Music Ensembles.

 

She'll be performing at Canton's Open Book Coffeehouse at the Canton Public library at 730pm. $12. Doors open at 6:45 on January 20th 2024. 

Karen Read Hearing of January 18, 2024

Highlights:

• Karen Read's Attorney, David Yannetti, says 6 letters moved to be suppressed by the prosecution that are between the US Attorney's Office and DA Michael Morrissey do not meet the standard for suppression and will be made public anyway when Yannetti moves to sanction the DA's office. 
• Thought the Attorney's Office has no objection to the letters being made public, DA Lally argues that that isn't the reason his office wants them to be suppressed. They are under a grand jury and should not yet be made public. 
• Discussion over the notes and interviews and recordings and other correspondence between a reporter for Boston Magazine and Karen Read. Boston Magazine attorney argues that the "off the record" notes should not be made available to the prosecution. That it will have a chilling effect on reporting and that reporters should never be used as witnesses. The judge wants Boston Magazine to present court soon rulings in Massachusetts that support his argument. 
• DA Lally argues that no special protections in Massachusetts for reporters and that they only want the correspondence between the reporter and Read. The judge expresses concern for the reporters safety as she has been threatened. 
• Karen Read's lawyer says federal office will release evidence on the Morrissey case and he wants to wait until after that release to argue for sanctions.
• Hearing is scheduled for February 15th. 

Video of this hearing is available at: CantonCommunityTv.org

under the "search" menu bar. 

 

Karen Read Hearing of Jan. 5th 2024

Highlights:

Many protesters were outside the hearing of Karen Read who is accused of hitting her boyfriend with her car, Boston Police officer John O'Keefe, with intent after dropping him off for an after-hours party at Boston Police officer Brian Albert's home in Canton, MA. The defense contends O'Keefe was murdered in the house. 

Several motions, including the defense request seeking that the Norfolk DA's office be disqualified in this case.

• Discussion regarding DNA on the taillight.
• The defense says Elizabeth Proctor, wife of investigator State Trooper Proctor, privacy rights are outweighed by Karen Read's right to a fair trial. At contention is the degree of friendship between the Proctors and prosecution witnesses who were inside the home and how it impacted the investigation and evidence. 
• Jennifer McCable's lawyer, who is alleged friends with Elizabeth Proctor, and who found with Read, O'Keefe's body outside the home in in the early morning hours, says Rule 17 is being weaponized against his client. 
• Prosecutor Lally does not concede a personal relationship between the Alberts and the McCabe's and State Trooper Proctor. 
• Defense submits to the judge that they do not have to submit their DNA results to the prosecution, as that isn't how the system works. 
• Judge says the troopers have not given their consent to their DNA being released. 
• Sidebar regarding Jennifer McCabe's phone records 
• Hearing set for Thursday, January 18th. 
• Trial set for March 12, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

Galvin Middle School Community Forum Number 4 of Nov. 29, 203

Galvin Middle School Community Forum Number 4 of Nov. 29, 203

On building a new middle school on the Galvin School footprint:

Summarizes the last 3 meetings. The time-line on the project is laid out. Stake holders will vote on what and number of grades they want to see at the Middle School. Do they want a separate auditorium? Or one that's also part gym or part cafeteria. When the proposal might appear before town meeting and go for a vote before the entire town and much more important information. 

You can also listen to previous meetings here or go to: CantonCommunityTv for the video as important slides can be seen there. 

Aiden Kearney (Turtleboy) Hearing of Nov. 28th at Stoughton District Court

Aiden Kearney's lawyer argues that Kearney should get his tools of investigation (phone, computers) that were taken in a seizure of his home after a warrant was given to search his house and his being charged with witness intimidation. Kearney's lawyer says his client is being prosecuted by the same people his journalism exposed in the Karen Read murder case. The defense argued that he's involved with a client accused of murder and these same prosecutors returned that client's phone within a day because of a process called "mirroring" which gathers all the material on the devices. If given back in that case, certainly, the defense argues, Kearney should get his devices of his profession returned. 

The prosecution argues that Kearney is an activist and not a journalist (journalist enjoy no special legal protections in Massachusetts over regular citizens say for tradition) and even if "generously" seen as a journalist, that the State argued that the defense might say that material on the mirror image was made up. The prosecution argues respectfully to the judge that it is prudent for the judge to allow a higher court to decide on this matter. The prosecution argues Kearney is still blogging and there's no impedance to his doing his work. 

The defense counters that sources who have risked so much to expose elements in the Karen Read case are on that phone and will be exposed to the State. That this is an unprecedented prosecution of a journalist. That those sources on the phone should be protected. 

The judge considers both arguments. Listen here for his ruling.