Karen Read Inks Deal to Develop Screen Adaptation of Murder Case

A scripted adaptation of the Karen Read murder case, which ended in a recent acquittal, is in the works.

LBI Productions is partnering with Read and her lead defense attorney, Alan Jackson, to develop a scripted project chronicling the case that ignited national media attention. The project promises details of the Read story not yet disclosed to the public, the producers said. CAA is representing the film and TV rights. 

On June 18, a jury found Karen Read not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges Wednesday in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe. The same jury also found her guilty of a lesser charge of drunken driving after deliberating for at least 22 hours since June 13. A first Karen Read trial had previously ended in a mistrial.

Read’s lawyers during the trials asserted she was framed by police after dropping O’Keefe off at a party at the home of a fellow officer. Prosecutors argued that the 45-year-old Read hit O’Keefe, 46, with her SUV before driving away, but the defense maintained that he was killed inside the home and later dragged outside.

“I’ve lived in this town with John. I saw what it takes for a small group of powerful people to be ‘above the law.’ I struggled for over three years to overcome this power and corruption, eliciting help from tens of private investigators, multiple attorneys, and eventually — the federal government. It was ultimately a groundswell of local residents and a grassroots campaign that afforded me the resources I needed to fight back,” Read said in a statement on Friday about her successful defense during two trials.

With exclusive access to both Read and Jackson, the upcoming project is expected to look behind the prosecution, the defense’s counter-investigation and the cultural debate that surrounded the case.

Ahead of the second trial for Read, there were dueling TV docuseries from Investigation Discovery, Netflix and others to explore whether Read reversed her SUV over boyfriend O’Keefe or was framed to protect fellow Boston police officers involved in his death.

“This isn’t just a legal thriller. It’s about what happens when a single voice refuses to be silenced. Karen’s case reflects the complicated moment in time in which we live. We will have an opportunity to show layers that have never been brought to light, and we are committed to telling the story with urgency, nuance, and care,” LBI production head Julie Yorn added in another statement.

Alex Kohner of Yorn Levine handled negotiations Read and Jackson. Jared Levine of Yorn Levine acted for LBI Productions. LBI Entertainment has production credits that include Killers of the Flower Moon and Hell or High Water.

Plans are also underway for a book project with the participation of Read and Jackson. The publishing rights are being shopped by literary agent Luke Janklow of Janklow & Nesbit.