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True Crime

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Crimes of the Century CLE: Murder Trial of Karen Read

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alaska CLE Reciprocity 3 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 3 Total
Arkansas CLE Approved 3 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 3 Total
California CLE Approved 3 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 4 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 3 Total
Delaware CLE Approved 3 Total
Florida CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 3 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 3 Total
Iowa CLE Approved 3 Total
Idaho CLE Approved 3 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 3 Total
Indiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Kansas CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Kentucky CLE Approved 3 Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Maine CLE Approved 3 Total
Minnesota CLE Approved 3 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 3 Total
Mississippi CLE Approved 3 Total
Montana CLE Approved 3 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
North Dakota CLE Approved 3 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 3 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 3 Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 3.6 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 3 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 3 Total
New York CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Ohio CLE Approved 3 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Oregon CLE Approved 3 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 3 Total
Rhode Island CLE Approved 3.5 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
Tennessee CLE Approved 3 Total
Texas CLE Approved 3 Total
Utah CLE Approved 3 Total
Virginia CLE Approved 3 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 3 Total
Washington CLE Approved 3 Total
Wisconsin CLE Approved 3.5 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Wyoming CLE Upon Request 3 Total
OnDemand
3 hours
Joel Oster
With Joel L. Oster from Comedian of Law, LLC
Recorded May 19, 2026.
Product ID 101883

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Overview

Trial Lessons From the Infamous Case

In the freezing winter of 2022, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe was found dead in a snowbank outside a fellow officer’s home. His girlfriend, Karen Read, was accused of killing him with her SUV and leaving him to die. What followed were two high-profile trials - the first ending in a mistrial, the second in a full acquittal - that captured national attention and became a masterclass in the art of creating reasonable doubt.

In this engaging, story-driven CLE, we’ll walk through both trials, analyze the prosecution’s and defense’s theories, compare the two proceedings, and break down the strategies that led to the ultimate not-guilty verdict. Along the way, you’ll gain practical trial tips for defending circumstantial murder cases, managing pretrial publicity, and leveraging jury instructions to your advantage. Register today!

  • Compare and contrast prosecution and defense strategies in the first and second Karen Read trials.
  • Identify key evidentiary and procedural differences that contributed to differing outcomes.
  • Learn the dangers of over-prosecution and over-charging an indictment
  • Apply effective techniques for creating reasonable doubt in a circumstantial case.
  • Recognize the role of investigative bias and media influence in shaping trial narratives.
  • Integrate jury instructions strategically into closing arguments for maximum impact.

This program is designed in conjunction with attorney Joel Oster, Comedian of Law and True Crime Podcaster.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. The Facts of the Case and the Early Investigation
  2. Initial Legal Theories
  3. The First Trial (2024)
  4. Motion to Dismiss Based on Double Jeopardy
  5. The Second Trial (2025)
  6. Takeaways: 6 Trial Tips for a Circumstancial Case

Related Topics

Product ID 101883

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Alaska CLE Reciprocity 3 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 3 Total
Arkansas CLE Approved 3 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 3 Total
California CLE Approved 3 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 4 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 3 Total
Delaware CLE Approved 3 Total
Florida CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 3 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 3 Total
Iowa CLE Approved 3 Total
Idaho CLE Approved 3 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 3 Total
Indiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Kansas CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Kentucky CLE Approved 3 Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Maine CLE Approved 3 Total
Minnesota CLE Approved 3 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 3 Total
Mississippi CLE Approved 3 Total
Montana CLE Approved 3 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
North Dakota CLE Approved 3 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 3 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 3 Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 3.6 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 3 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 3 Total
New York CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Ohio CLE Approved 3 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Oregon CLE Approved 3 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 3 Total
Rhode Island CLE Approved 3.5 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
Tennessee CLE Approved 3 Total
Texas CLE Approved 3 Total
Utah CLE Approved 3 Total
Virginia CLE Approved 3 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 3 Total
Washington CLE Approved 3 Total
Wisconsin CLE Approved 3.5 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Wyoming CLE Upon Request 3 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. The Facts of the Case and the Early Investigation

    1. Kevin O'Keefe, a Boston Police Officer, the Victim
    2. Karen Read, The Former Girlfriend
    3. Eyewitness Fragments
    4. Early Decisions in Evidence Collection That Will Haunt the Case

  2. Initial Legal Theories

    1. The Prosecution's Tactics: Circumstantial Evidence, Intent, and Charging Decisions
    2. The Defense's "Alternate Perpetrator" Theory and Investigative Gaps Attacks

  3. The First Trial (2024)

    1. Review of Key Witness Testimony
    2. Review of Closing Statements
    3. How Juror Disagreement in a Mistrial Can Foreshadow Acquittal (Or Retrial Strategy)
    4. Media Leaks, Pre-Trial Publicity, and Their Role in Juror Psychology

  4. Motion to Dismiss Based on Double Jeopardy

  5. The Second Trial (2025)

    1. Prosecutors Streamline Their Case: Fewer Witnesses, Cleaner Exhibits
    2. Defense Sharpens Expert Testimony
    3. Prosecution's Burden Becomes More Visible
    4. Jury Instructions Hammer Home the Circumstantial Chain Importance
    5. The Verdict
    6. Lessons Learned From the First to the Second Trial

  6. Takeaways: 6 Trial Tips for a Circumstancial Case

Who Should Attend

This true-crime legal course is designed for attorneys. Paralegals and legal staff will also benefit.

Speakers

Joel L Oster
Joel L.
Oster
Comedian of Law, LLC
Speaker bio
Joel L Oster

Joel L. Oster

Comedian of Law, LLC
Joel Oster

is a litigator, national speaker, podcaster and stand-up comic. He is in private practice specializing in constitutional law, appellate advocacy, and attorney ethics. Mr. Oster regularly litigates First Amendment issues and has been lead counsel on two cases that ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court. He has argued a case before the United States District Court for the Western District of New York and the Second Circuit and was part of a legal team that successfully defended a case in the U.S. Supreme Court. He's also prevailed as lead counsel in defending a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Mr. Oster has spoken to thousands of attorneys across the United States and brings their combined practical perspectives to his seminars. He has presented at numerous bench and bar conferences and co-hosts the podcast DeBriefing the Law with Chris Marohn. The podcast covers current legal news and true crimes using their brand of humor. From the Supreme Court to O.J. Simpson, no legal topic is off-limits. Most importantly he is also a stand-up comic. Even though he has argued before numerous appellate courts, including Judge Calabresi of the Second Circuit, he said nothing compares to the nerves of trying to make a room full of drunk college kids laugh. He headlined the comedy tour "Presumed Funny" which featured random musings about the legal profession. Mr. Oster earned his J.D. degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in Kansas, Missouri, Florida and numerous federal courts.

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