As murder defendant Karen Read rounds the corner on the halfway point of her second trial, the crippling weight of unpaid legal bills could be alleviated by an unlikely source: online crowdfunding.
Months before her retrial was set to begin, Read told Vanity Fair she owes her defense team over $5 million in legal fees – a total that is likely growing with the addition of two new attorneys.
“Other than feeling wrongfully persecuted and prosecuted, I feel incredibly violated,” Read said in the Vanity Fair interview, adding, “If I can get the entire truth of this case out in the public forum, that, to me, is priceless.”
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Read pleaded not guilty and is facing the possibility of life in prison for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. She is accused of ramming O’Keefe with her vehicle during a drunken argument before leaving him to freeze to death in the front yard of a fellow police officer’s home in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2022.
Read’s defense team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Last year, Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict, setting the stage for a costly redo for Read.
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Since her first trial, Read’s defense team has introduced two new players, with attorneys Robert Alessi and Victoria George joining Alan Jackson, David Yannetti and Elizabeth Little.
To help subsidize her expenses, Read reportedly sold her Mansfield home for $810,000 in November 2024 and is living off of her 401(k) retirement fund after losing her jobs as a Bentley University finance professor and Fidelity Investments equities analyst following her arrest.
In addition to turning to her equity, numerous crowdfunding sites have been kick-started to help Read chip away at her legal fees – a common tactic used in high-profile court cases where bills could rise into the seven figures.
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“There are many examples of high-profile defendants paying out-of-pocket for their defense,” criminal defense attorney Andrew Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. “O.J. Simpson is the classic example. But it is surprising when high-profile, non-wealthy individuals pay out-of-pocket for their entire defense.”
A Justice for Karen Read legal defense fund, organized by Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP, is closing in on $1 million raised, with donations continuing to pour in as Read’s second trial wraps up its fourth week.
“Keep fighting,” one anonymous donor wrote. “I believe in Karen’s innocence and grateful she has an amazing team defending her.”
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Werksman Jackson & Quinn did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Additionally, the Free Karen Read Movement has launched a website selling sweatshirts, T-shirts and other apparel in support of Read, while advocating for her innocence.
Earlier this month, supporters hosted a ticketed dinner party in a nearby town to raise money for Read. Seats were priced at $100 and included a live DJ, raffle and cash bar.
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The event organizers did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
While turning to public methods as a way to bankroll legal funds increases, experts caution the charity could come with strings attached.
“A third-party funding source is both a blessing and a curse,” Stoltmann said. “They can provide necessary funds to put on a top-flight defense, but they also tend to have a disproportionate amount of sway with the attorneys since the bills are being paid by the third party. It’s an ethical quagmire for the attorneys on cases.”
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Read’s defense team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on whether she plans to accept the funds.
In light of the hefty price tag for legal representation, it is not uncommon for attorneys to take on high-profile cases for a reduced rate in exchange for publicity.
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“Many criminal defense lawyers will take a case pro bono or at a severely discounted rate if it’s a high-profile case and there’s a great deal of news and television coverage,” Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. “This often leads to a tsunami of new clients coming in the door for years after the trial takes place. This might be what’s happening in Karen Read’s case.”
While Read’s fate remains in the hands of the jury, her chance to maintain her freedom – and clear her name – continues to come at an incredibly high cost.
“I’m not backing down now,” Read told Vanity Fair. “As scary as a potential conviction is, I will go to jail for something I didn’t do before I plea out. I will never give them that win.”
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