Karen Read is being sued for wrongful death by the brother and family of her late boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
Paul O’Keefe and family members filed the lawsuit in Superior Court in Plymouth. The suit names Read and two bars she and John O’Keefe visited in Canton the night before his body was found.
In addition to Read, the lawsuit also names the bars Waterfall Bar & Grill and CF McCarthy’s, both in Canton. The bars are accused of serving alcohol to Read while he was drunk.
The lawsuit alleges that Read was served seven drinks in an hour and a half at McCarthy’s bar and that she then had another drink and a shot of liquor at Waterfall, even though she already appeared to be drunk.
The lawsuit alleges that Read was drunk when she drove off and struck O’Keefe in front of a home in Canton.
A person who answered the phone at CF McCarthy’s said there was no comment at this time.
NBC 10 News has reached out to Waterfall and Read’s defense team for comment.
Prosecutors said Read, of Mansfield, drove into O’Keefe with her SUV in January 2022. His body was found in the snow. Her defense said O’Keefe was beaten and left for dead by someone else and Read was blamed.
The lawsuit accuses Read of “constructing a conspiracy” and making outrageous false statements.
Her trial for second-degree murder ended in a miscarriage of justice in July. A judge last week rejected a defense request to drop two charges.
A new trial is scheduled for January.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, but the amount was not disclosed.
NBC 10’s Brian Crandall contributed to this report.
