Karen Read is an adjunct professor‚ a financial analyst‚ and girlfriend to a well-liked cop in Massachusetts‚ but is she also a murderer&;#63; That’s the question jurors will have to answer now that Read’s trial for allegedly killing her cop boyfriend‚ John O’Keefe‚ has begun. O’Keefe was a Boston police officer who lived in Canton‚ MA‚ since 2014 to raise his niece and nephew‚ who had been orphaned after O’Keefe’s sister died of a brain tumor and her husband died of a heart attack shortly after. Read‚ an adjunct professor at Bentley University‚ lived in Mansfield‚ MA‚ but had been dating O’Keefe since 2020 and regularly staying in Canton to help O’Keefe with the children‚ Boston Magazine reported. On January 28‚ 2022‚ Read and O’Keefe traveled to the Waterfall Bar &; Grille in Canton after drinking at another pub. At the Waterfall‚ O’Keefe saw some of his friends and joined them with Read in tow. Chris Albert‚ O’Keefe’s neighbor and the town selectman‚ along with Chris’ brother Brian‚ another Boston Police Department officer‚ and Jennifer McCabe‚ Brian’s sister-in-law. The five chatted and drank until midnight‚ when the bar was about to close and Brian suggested they all go to his house. O’Keefe wanted to go‚ but Read was tired and tipsy and unsure about continuing the party. She agreed to at least drive O’Keefe to Brian’s house. After dropping him off‚ she decided to go home‚ but has said that she woke up alone at 4:30 a.m. and worried about where her boyfriend was. She didn’t have McCabe’s number‚ so she woke up O’Keefe’s then 14-year-old niece to ask her to call McCabe’s daughter‚ with whom she was friends. McCabe said she didn’t know where O’Keefe was‚ and called Chris Albert’s wife to see if O’Keefe had passed out at their house‚ but she said he hadn’t. At the same time‚ Read called O’Keefe’s friend Kerry Roberts‚ who also had not seen O’Keefe. Read‚ McCabe‚ and Roberts met up to look for O’Keefe‚ with Read in the backseat of Roberts’ car screaming about how O’Keefe was missing‚ Boston Magazine reported. A blizzard had rolled through town the night before‚ and it was still snowing as the women drove in the darkness. They drove to Brian Albert’s home‚ and Read immediately said she saw O’Keefe and jumped out of the car to rush to his side‚ even though it was completely dark outside. O’Keefe was lying in the snow‚ ice-cold‚ and Read began performing CPR. He had blood on his face and a black eye‚ while his hat and shoes were missing. McCabe brought blankets to warm him up and called 911. It was 6:04 a.m. Read cried and repeatedly asked if she had hit O’Keefe. An ambulance took O’Keefe to a nearby hospital‚ where he was pronounced dead at 7:50 a.m. Braintree‚ MA – February 6: Hundreds of Boston Police officers line up to attend the wake for Boston Police officer John O’Keefe‚ III at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Braintree‚ MA on Feb. 6‚ 2022. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Read‚ according to court documents reviewed by Boston Magazine‚ said that she spent the next three days traumatized at her parents’ house‚ even asking her doctor for prescription sleep medication. She hired attorney David Yannetti and cooperated with police when they questioned her about the night O’Keefe died. Read then returned to her home in Mansfield and was soon arrested and taken to jail. She was charged with manslaughter for allegedly hitting O’Keefe with her Lexus when she dropped him off at Brian’s house. The original charges stemmed from the belief that Read accidentally hit O’Keefe with her car.  But four months later‚ the charges were increased to second-degree murder. Part of the change came from the allegation that Read admitted to hitting O’Keefe on the morning she found him‚ which was overheard by first responders and police. Karen Read. Courtesy WCVB-TV/ABC‚ Boston. Read told ABC News last year‚ however‚ that she was questioning whether she could have hit him by accident. “I said‚ ‘I hit him’&;#63; It was preceded by a ‘Did‚’ and preceded by a question mark‚” she said. “What I thought could have happened was that‚ did I incapacitate him unwittingly‚ somehow‚ and then in his drunkenness [he] passed out&;#63;” Read’s attorney‚ Yannetti‚ reviewed the charging documents with her and questioned whether Read really could have caused all the injuries to O’Keefe just by backing into him with her car. A medical examiner found that O’Keefe had abrasions on his right arm‚ two black eyes‚ along with cuts on his face and a laceration to the back of his head‚ CNN reported. He also had several skull fractures. The charging documents also contained interviews with McCabe and Roberts. McCabe told police that Read had told her she had gotten into a fight with O’Keefe at the Waterfall and didn’t remember driving him to Brian’s house. Roberts said Read told her she was so drunk she didn’t remember the night before. Roberts also told police that O’Keefe showed her and McCabe her cracked taillight and said she didn’t know how that happened. Police found red and clear bits of plastic near O’Keefe’s body‚ consistent with Read’s broken taillight. When police seized the vehicle‚ they found damage to the right rear tailgate. This information led police to believe Read was intoxicated and backed into O’Keefe before driving away. Soon‚ a tipster called Read’s attorney‚ Yannetti‚ and claimed that O’Keefe was “beaten up by Brian Albert and his nephew.” “They broke his nose‚ and when O’Keefe didn’t come to‚ Brian and a federal agent dumped his body on the front lawn‚” the tipster added‚ Yannetti told Boston Magazine. An attorney for that tipster‚ however‚ denied Yannetti’s version of the tip to the outlet. After this call‚ Yannetti and Read began looking into whether O’Keefe could have been killed at the party and left out in the cold to die. Read believed that Brian’s nephew‚ Colin‚ could have been behind the attack‚ since‚ she told Boston Magazine‚ he and O’Keefe were in a feud dating back a couple years. Then Read saw the photos of O’Keefe’s body and believed it looked like he had been beaten up and possibly even attacked by a dog. Brian Albert’s family had a German Shepherd. Read then learned that the lead detective on the case‚ State Trooper Michael Proctor‚ was friends with the Albert family. Read already believed O’Keefe was actually beaten up at the party‚ but now she believed Proctor was helping to frame her‚ including an alleged period where Proctor had access to Read’s vehicle and may have planted evidence. Read hired another attorney – famous criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson‚ who had once represented Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey. Once Jackson joined the defense‚ they learned that Brian had gotten rid of his dog and sold his house after O’Keefe’s death. Months later‚ they found that McCabe had Googled “hos [sic] long to die in cold” at 2:27 a.m. – hours before she‚ Roberts‚ and Read found O’Keefe’s body. She made the same search again at 6:23 a.m. and 6:24 a.m. Roberts told police that Read asked her to make the searches. A massive campaign began to support Read‚ reportedly dividing the town among those who believed she was innocent and those who believed she was guilty. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images In September of last year‚ the prosecution requested Read’s cellphone data‚ data they had been denied because it contained privileged communications with her attorney. The Prosecution argued that the cellphone could explain why Read’s arrival back at O’Keefe’s house wasn’t captured on his Ring camera system‚ or explain how surveillance footage showed Read driving toward the Waterfall bar at 5:11 a.m. and then away from it at 5:15 a.m. That surveillance data further showed Read driving toward Brian Albert’s house before going to McCabe’s home in the morning‚ leading to questions that she had already looked for and found O’Keefe’s body before going to McCabe’s. But the prosecution also has other evidence that pokes holes in the idea that Read was framed‚ Boston Magazine reported. For starters‚ the “framed” concept relies on a feud between O’Keefe and Brian Albert’s nephew Colin‚ but sources told Boston Magazine that the issue that led to the alleged feud that Read pointed too actually involved O’Keefe and a different teenager‚ and that he never had any issue with Colin. As for the Alberts getting rid of their dog and selling their home‚ a source told the outlet that Brian got rid of the dog after it fought with another dog‚ and that they had contacted a real estate agent to sell his house before O’Keefe died. The idea that Proctor planted evidence in Read’s car also has issues. The district attorney says the time discrepancy in police reports was just an error and was corrected in later reports and filings. These reports‚ and the DA‚ show that Proctor was never alone with Read’s car‚ according to Boston Magazine. Further‚ microscopic pieces of Read’s taillight were found on O’Keefe’s shirt‚ and the timestamp on McCabe’s Google search can be explained by a technicality. McCabe made the search on a search bar of a tab that was opened at 2:27 a.m.‚ which is why it appeared she made the search before she ever heard from Read. A medical examiner also testified to a grand jury that the injuries from O’Keefe weren’t from a fight and that data from Read’s car showed that it had reversed at high speed before striking O’Keefe‚ continuing to reverse‚ and then leaving. O’Keefe’s niece also told police that Read’s story about her night changed multiple times the morning she went to look for O’Keefe. Read also reportedly told Proctor that she dropped O’Keefe off but never saw him enter the house‚ but she told Boston Magazine that she saw him enter the house and waited for him to tell her it was okay for her to join his friends. When she didn’t hear from him‚ she left. The prosecution has also argued that evidence from O’Keefe’s phone showed Read called him around 50 times the night he died and left him angry voicemails telling him she hated him. It also appears that the “federal agent” referred to by the tipster who originally started the framing theory may have had a romantic relationship with Read. Nevertheless‚ there is a federal investigation into whether there was a police cover-up in the case‚ according to The Boston Globe. Sources told the New York Post that the FBI had interviewed everyone at Brian Albert’s house that fateful night‚ and that at least one said O’Keefe had been there. If that person is correct‚ it could corroborate Read’s story. Even with everything known in the case‚ the prosecution has said it has evidence that has not been released yet‚ and will only be revealed during the trial. That evidence could sway the jury toward finding Read guilty‚ but only time will tell.

A group of Republican senators reached out to National Public Radio (NPR)‚ urging the network to “start a course correction” to shake off a left-wing bias controversy under the leadership of CEO Katherine Maher. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led a letter sent to Maher on Monday‚ highlighting concerns raised by Uri Berliner‚ a longtime editor at NPR who resigned this month after he stoked fresh scrutiny of the media organization with claims that it “lost America’s trust” with an increasingly leftist bent. “It is not NPR’s job to tell Americans what to think but to inform them with unbiased facts. Moreover‚ the internal cultural shifts and management decisions to prioritize ideological narratives do not just undermine your organization’s integrity; they have also alienated a significant portion of your audience‚” the senators wrote in the letter. “As Mr. Berliner points out‚ this has had tangible effects on NPR’s trust ratings and listener demographics‚ which have skewed increasingly away from any semblance of a broad‚ inclusive audience‚” they added. Berliner announced his resignation during a five-day suspension without pay over his critique of NPR. Although he pushed back on calls to defund NPR‚ Berliner said he could not work in a newsroom after being “disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm” the problems he cited. Maher‚ who began serving as NPR’s chief executive in March‚ had condemned what she said was a “deeply simplistic” and “profoundly disrespectful‚ hurtful‚ and demeaning” assessment from Berliner. Resurfaced posts and clips show Maher being critical of former President Donald Trump and supportive of President Joe Biden. They also displayed personal views in favor of liberal causes. The GOP lawmakers specifically pointed to NPR’s handling of major news stories that Berliner flagged as being problematic‚ including issues related to the Hunter Biden laptop‚ the COVID-19 lab leak theory‚ and the Trump-Russia collusion narrative. They also noted Berliner’s finding that all of NPR’s editorial staffers in Washington‚ D.C.‚ were registered Democrats. “If NPR’s goal was to become an echo chamber‚ mission accomplished. But as a publicly funded entity‚ you are responsible for providing impartial coverage that accurately informs all Americans‚ regardless of political affiliation‚” the senators said. “We urge you to start a course correction to address these issues‚” they added. “If NPR does not want to devolve into a one-sided opinion outlet‚ it should take a page from its local affiliates and embrace a culture of intellectual diversity and focus on balanced reporting.” In addition to Cramer‚ the letter was signed by Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY)‚ Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)‚ Bill Cassidy (R-LA)‚ Roger Marshall (R-KS)‚ Eric Schmitt (R-MO)‚ and Dan Sullivan (R-AK). The Daily Wire reached out to NPR seeking comment on the letter.

Vice President Kamala Harris talked about her “big laugh” — which she said she knows people “love to talk about” — and made it clear that she has no plans of toning it down. In the segment that aired Monday on “The Drew Barrymore Show‚” the host asked Harris about what it’s like to be the first woman in her office‚ and the VP suggested that her cackle‚ among other things‚ was something people still were getting used to. The VP has made headlines for her laughter — which often punctuates her remarks on otherwise serious things like the southern border crisis and Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan pullout. “I mean‚ my staff‚ for example‚ sometimes they’ll show me little things that just amuse me. Like‚ apparently‚ some people love to talk about the way I laugh‚” Harris said. “I have my mother’s laugh and I grew up around a bunch of women in particular who laughed from the belly. They laughed — they would sit around the kitchen and drinking their coffee‚ telling big stories with big laughs‚” she added‚ noting that she’s “never” going to have a shy little chuckle. “I’m just not that person‚ and I think it’s really important for us to remind each other and our younger ones: don’t be confined to other people’s perception about what this looks like‚ how you should act in order to be‚” Harris continued. “Right&;#63; It’s really important.” Harris’ laughter has been discussed before and throughout President Joe Biden’s presidency. The Washington Free Beacon even compiled a video of Harris and her tendency to just start laughing during interviews and speeches.  In a Daily Mail article‚ a clip shows some of the other times Harris has started laughing big and loud. A recent CNN poll showed that some voters in a focus group — put together by the Democratic National Committee — are concerned about her guffaws at serious moments‚ noting it was a reason for criticism.  “Several people said Harris rubs them the wrong way‚” the outlet reported. “A few specifically cited her laugh …” During a recent interview for the “I’ve Had It” podcast‚ Harris talked about the 2024 election and said she’s “totally had it with” former President Donald Trump. “Had it over and over and over again‚” the VP told the hosts. “There’s so much at stake in this election.”  “It’s not a sign of weakness to have empathy‚” she added. Related: Sunny Hostin Says Criticism Of Kamala Harris Laughing In Poland Is ‘Based In Racism’

Gender ideology is a fickle friend. Just ask Humza Yousaf. The Scottish premier used his “woke” credentials to ascend to power last year in a battle against more “common-sense” candidates – espousing an agenda to extoll trans-ideology as the highest driving value‚ and bulldozing anyone who raised concerns as a “hateful” bigot. He won the top spot in governance. But what brings you up can tear you down twice as fast – so indicated by his resignation today. Yousaf’s leadership of Scotland may have been bolstered by ideological adages that made for exciting soundbites. Indeed‚ his profile gained him support from the ultra-left Green Party‚ who governed alongside his Scottish National Party in a power-sharing agreement.  One policy platform became more wildly unhinged than the next – from chilling conversations around the family dinner table about gender; to forbidding parents from objecting to their child cross-dressing.  Yet every deceitful piece of lip service to an ideology founded on the claim that men can become women at will‚ will eventually hit the curb of reality. And when respected and established pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass released her high-profile‚ U.K. government-commissioned review of children’s “gender services‚” she conclusively unveiled the distinct medical threat posed to children buying into the lie that their bodies are “wrong.” The Scottish government had a conundrum to deal with. Cass’s review revealed an uncomfortable truth — that rather than merely allowing children “time to think” by delaying the onset of puberty‚ the vast majority of those treated with puberty blockers continued on a journey to cross-sex hormones. A conveyor belt of bodily confusion puts vulnerable young people at risk of serious and irreversible mutilation‚ as well as destroying fertility‚ among other life-altering consequences. Brain maturation may also be “temporarily or permanently disrupted” by puberty blockers‚ according to Cass’s findings. The impact of puberty blockers on mental health has not been fully explored‚ and some female patients experienced worsening depression or anxiety. By affirming the belief that their bodies are “wrong‚” the cheerful‚ rainbow-coloured party line of the Scottish government was going to destroy a troubled generation of youngsters whose lives had barely begun. In an act of sheer necessity‚ Scottish authorities peddled back their extreme ideological drive a few weeks ago‚ pausing the distribution of puberty blockers to under-18s. But gender ideology isn’t a genie that can be shoved back into the bottle. This decision‚ paired with a further announcement scrapping unrealistic climate targets to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030‚ was enough to send the leftist alliance into a tailspin. Within days‚ the government SNP-Green pact broke apart‚ a motion of no confidence was filed‚ and Humza‚ jumping before he was pushed‚ was out on his ear. It’s incredible that Humza found himself in this trap‚ considering the circumstances under which his predecessor left office. Nicola Sturgeon‚ who governed our country for almost a decade‚ also became a victim of her own puritanical virtue-signaling. Sturgeon clung so tightly to the mantras of modern sexual orthodoxy that she championed a policy of self-ID‚ which would have allowed any male in Scotland to access female-only changing rooms or rape crisis centers with little difficulty. When confronted with the reality that this could mean sending convicted double-rapists into women’s prison blocks‚ she had no ledge of common reason to grasp hold of to protect women’s basic safety. Her departure swiftly ensued. “Woke” is an unforgiving and judgmental religion. It yields no grace for its most powerful adherents. Yet even this beast is no match for the power of truth. After two car crash leaderships‚ it’s time for a re-enlightenment in Scotland — a rediscovery of what it means to govern on the basis of reality. The Scottish people are neither blind nor docile. Women have spoken up‚ parents have voiced their concerns‚ and for too long‚ all who objected to the toxic ideology were branded “bigots.” It’s time for a government that hears and reflects the people. It’s time for a leader who upholds and safeguards the basic rights of women and children‚ and ends the madness that manipulates vulnerable people into rejecting their own bodies. The rest of the world‚ too‚ can learn from our sorry tale. This might be the government that “woke” broke; but we have every opportunity‚ at this juncture‚ to rise as the country that broke “woke.” * * * Lois McLatchie Miller (@LoisMcLatch) is a Scottish commentator and Senior Legal Communications Officer for Alliance Defending Freedom UK. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire. 

A baby girl and her dog have a unique and wholesome bond that they formed before the baby was even born‚ and it’s melting hearts all over social media. The Instagram page Ladyandtheblues posted a sweet compilation that depicts the friendship of the little girl named Olivia and her dog‚ Lady‚ that started when Olivia’s mom was pregnant. As the video shares‚ the golden retriever became protective and doting when Olivia’s mom was carrying her. Lady was so protective that getting the dog to take a walk without the expectant mother was nearly impossible. Then‚ once Olivia was born‚ Lady refused to leave her side. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lady the Golden Retriever (@ladyandtheblues) A portion of the video showcased Olivia’s family going for a winter walk in the snowy woods. Olivia was strapped to her dad’s back‚ and the duo was preparing to leave the mom and Lady alone. But when the dad told Lady to stay‚ she was visibly upset by the thought. “She doesn’t want to leave the baby‚” the clip captions. The Sweet Golden Retriever Has Earned A Massive Social Media Following The rest of the video showcases the heartwarming friendship between the dog and baby. After Olivia and her dad went for a walk‚ they reunited with Lady to enjoy some sledding‚ and the close-knit duo was glowing as they enjoyed their snow day. “After cuddling with baby sis for nine months‚ their sole duty is to protect that baby at all costs‚” a follower noted in the comments. “That’s how they are. We don’t deserve dogs. They are the purest souls.” “Omg‚ why did I start crying&;#63; This is beautiful‚” added another. Lady’s love has touched so many hearts that she’s amassed almost 5 million followers across all her social media platforms. If you want to watch the relationship grow‚ you can follow her on Instagram‚ Facebook‚ and TikTok. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post This Heartwarming Bond Between A Baby &; Dog Will Make Your Entire Day&;#33;  appeared first on InspireMore.

We all know Harrison Ford as the star of Indiana Jones‚ but did you know he was a hero on and off the screen&;#63; About 23 years ago in 2001‚ Ford rescued a Boy Scout who was alone and stranded in the Wyoming wilderness. Cody Clawson was only 13 years old when he got lost near Yellowstone National Park. He went missing for over 18 hours‚ spending the night curled up in a cave‚ according to an ABC News interview. “It rained and sleeted that night‚” Clawson told the news outlet. “It was pretty scary.” However‚ Clawson woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of airplanes and helicopters. “I started looking for an open place that I could signal them‚” he recalled. “I used my belt buckle to reflect the sunlight. They saw it and landed.” Harrison Ford Rescues Lost Boy Scout‚ Becomes Real-Life Hero When Clawson saw the helicopter come to his rescue‚ the last person he expected as the pilot was legend Harrison Ford — a hero on and off the screen‚ apparently. “He said‚ ‘Good morning‚’ and I recognized [his voice] because he said it just like he did in ‘Star Wars‚'” Clawson said. “He asked how I was doing and said‚ ‘You certainly should have earned a merit badge for this.'” At the time‚ Ford lived (part-time) in Jackson‚ Wyoming. He often volunteered for rescue missions in the area‚ seeing as he had both the flying experience and an actual helicopter. In fact‚ Clawson wasn’t the first person Ford rescued. According to an old CBS News article‚ in July of 2000‚ “Ford plucked an Idaho Falls‚ Idaho‚ hiker off 11‚106-foot Table Mountain in Teton County. Megan Freeman climbed the mountain‚ but altitude sickness and dehydration left her sick and unable to climb down. Ford picked her up and flew her to a Driggs‚ Idaho‚ hospital.” So the rumors are true: Ford‚ now 81 years old‚ really is a real-life hero. This Story’s Featured Image Is By Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images. The post Harrison Ford Was Once A Real-Life Hero When He Rescued A Boy Scout Who Was Lost In The Freezing Wyoming Wilderness appeared first on InspireMore.

‘The buck stops at the head coach’

'We need you to be 'Momola' of the country'

Three U.S. Marshalls are reportedly dead

'These extreme demonstrators are not engaging in constitutionally protected free speech'