BOSTON — The jury in the Karen Read murder trial said for a third time they could not reach a verdict. Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial.

“Despite our rigorous efforts we continue to find ourselves at an impasse,” the jury foreman wrote in a note Cannone read in court Monday.

“Our perspectives on the evidence are starkly divided. Some members of the jury firmly believe that the evidence surpasses the burden of proof, establishing the elements of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Conversely, others find the evidence fails to meet this standard and does not sufficiently establish the necessary elements of the charges.

“The deep division is not due to a lack of effort or diligence but rather a sincere adherence to our individual principles and moral convictions. To continue to deliberate would be futile and only force us to compromise these deeply held beliefs.”

Cannone accepted their reasoning and said she wouldn’t send them back: “I’m not going to do that to you folks. Your service is complete and I’m declaring a mistrial.”

The case will reconvene on July 22 at 2 p.m. for a status hearing.

Jurors began deliberations last Tuesday afternoon. They deliberated for an estimated total of nearly 27 hours before they were released.

Up next

Read’s attorney’s hailed the declaration of the mistrial, stating the case should never have been brought to begin with.

“Folks, this is what it looks like when you bring false charges against an innocent person,” defense attorney Alan Jackson said outside the court. “The Commonwealth did their worst. They brought the weight of the state based on spurious charges, based on comprised investigation and investigators and compromised witnesses. This is what it looks like.

...continued

©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at bostonherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.