Karen Learn trial post-mortem professional particulars cranium fractures in O’Keefe examination

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Having trouble? Click here. A medical expert testified she may determine John O'Keefe's reason behind demise as a head damage and hypothermia however couldn't decide whether or not it was murder, unintentional or another method Thursday in the course of the homicide trial of Karen Read within the 2022 demise of her boyfriend, a 46-year-old Boston police officer.

Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello, a forensic pathologist with Massachusetts' Workplace of the Chief Medical Examiner, carried out the post-mortem on O'Keefe Jan. 31, 2022.

Whereas Scordi-Bello discovered that O'Keefe had died from head trauma and hypothermia , the style of demise — how he suffered these accidents — was undetermined.

The blunt affect to his head was the first reason behind demise, she testified, however hypothermia contributed. He had a deep reduce and bruising to the again of his head. As soon as she checked out it from the within, she discovered a number of cranium fractures and mind bleeding. And his physique temperature when he arrived on the hospital was 80.1 levels in comparison with a standard physique temperature of 98.6.

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Defendant Karen Learn, proper, speaks to her legal professional, Alan Jackson, earlier than the beginning of her trial in Norfolk Superior Court docket Thursday, Might 15, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Picture/Mark Stockwell, Pool)

She mentioned the exterior examination first, saying she discovered comparable accidents to his face, head, hand, arm and knee that different witnesses, together with paramedics and police, have already described to the jury.

He had "superficial" scrapes and cuts on his arm, which didn't penetrate the pores and skin or expose fats or muscle tissue, she testified.

<source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/karen-read-boston-ma-retrial-john-okeefe-day-16-16.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/karen-read-boston-ma-retrial-john-okeefe-day-16-16.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello, the medical expert who performed the post-mortem on homicide sufferer John O'Keefe, testifies in the course of the trial of Karen Learn in Norfolk Superior Court docket Thursday, Might 15, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Picture/Mark Stockwell, Pool)

She additionally carried out an inside examination and checked out extra accidents.

In the back of his cranium, she discovered multiple fractures from a reduce on the suitable facet of his head.

That damage is constant with falling backward and touchdown together with his head on the frozen floor, she testified throughout cross-examination from protection legal professional Robert Alessi, who requested Scordi-Bello if O'Keefe ought to have sustained a round wound as a substitute of the linear one discovered at post-mortem.

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Protection legal professional Robert Alessis questions Massachusetts State Police forensic scientist Maureen Hartnett in the course of the trial of Karen Learn in Norfolk Superior Court docket Thursday, Might 15, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Picture/Mark Stockwell, Pool)

"There's nothing inconsistent with this damage and a fall on somebody's — on the again of the top — with a blunt floor," she testified.

"A fall backwards the place the particular person impacts the again of their head on flat, frozen floor … would you anticipate that kind of a laceration from that kind of a fall?" Alessi adopted up. "Not only a normal fall backwards, however particularly a fall backwards the place the again of the top hits flat, frozen floor. Would you anticipate that?"

"I may," Scordi-Bello mentioned. "Sure."

Nevertheless, she additionally mentioned she discovered no indicators of grass on the again of O'Keefe's head.

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John O'Keefe pictured in an undated photograph. O'Keefe died Jan. 29, 2022. His girlfriend, Karen Learn, was charged with hitting him together with her Lexus SUV and fleeing. (Courtesy of Karen Learn)

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Alessi additionally grilled her on the hypothermia discovering, asking if inside accidents to O'Keefe's abdomen and pancreas may have been attributable to elements apart from the freezing temperatures.

She testified it's attainable that his pancreas may have hemorrhaged from a tool used to help paramedics with CPR efforts, however that would not have broken his abdomen. Nevertheless, she later testified that the abdomen ulcers may have been attributable to O'Keefe drinking alcohol with out taking his antacid medication.

The toxicology report discovered no medication or prescription medicines in his system on the time of his demise. He had a .21% blood alcohol degree. And he had been prescribed an antacid to stop gastric ulcers.

<source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/931/523/karen-read-boston-ma-retrial-john-okeefe-day-16-11.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/05/1862/1046/karen-read-boston-ma-retrial-john-okeefe-day-16-11.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello, the medical expert who performed the post-mortem on homicide sufferer John O'Keefe, explains to the jury the character of an post-mortem in the course of the trial of Karen Learn in Norfolk Superior Court docket Thursday, Might 15, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Picture/Mark Stockwell, Pool)

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Even after an amended demise certificates was issued, O'Keefe's manner of death remained undetermined. Scordi-Bello testified Thursday she stands by her findings as to the trigger, head trauma and hypothermia.

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After Decide Beverly Cannone despatched jurors residence for the day, Alessi argued that new disclosures about professional testimony from Aperture, which performed stories for the prosecution, would put the "complete protection" in danger if allowed this late within the sport.

The disclosure was dated Might 8 however was acquired by the protection Might 11, he mentioned.

Karen Learn listens to the testimony of Jennifer McCabe throughout Learn's homicide trial in Norfolk Superior Court docket in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger by way of AP, Pool)

"I don’t like to make use of hyperbolic phrases, however the phrase has been used towards us — ambush, ambush, ambush," Alessi mentioned. "If there’s ever an instance of an ambush, that is it."

In a heated backwards and forwards, Brennan described the disclosure as proof of a major variance between the interior clocks in Learn’s Lexus SUV and John O’Keefe’s cellphone information.