Karen Learn homicide trial: Verdict watch continues in case of Canton homicide or conspiracy

The decision watch continues within the homicide trial of Karen Learn, the Mansfield lady accused of working her boyfriend John O’Keefe down together with her SUV throughout a Canton snowstorm and leaving him to freeze in a entrance yard.

Jurors have sat for a complete of 30 days of trial, together with Monday’s closing arguments, in Norfolk Superior Court docket in Dedham and didn’t attain a verdict over the three-and-a-half hours or so that they deliberated Monday. The trial is over and it’s left to jurors to determine Learn’s destiny.

“I love my daughter. Immensely,” Learn’s father William Learn informed the Herald briefly feedback outdoors the courthouse Tuesday after the jury was dismissed for the day with out a verdict. When one other reporter requested if he hoped for a superb end result, he stated, “Better be.”

Choose Beverly Cannone instructed the jury on the costs earlier than handing the case off to them.

Because the Herald reported on the time, jurors can discover Learn, 44, harmless or responsible on the next fees:

Second-degree homicide. Learn is responsible if the jurors discover that she each precipitated O’Keefe’s demise and had intent ultimately to take action. Cannone stated intent could possibly be purposeful homicide, purposeful intent for grievous harm inflicting his demise or that the defendant acted in such a manner {that a} affordable individual would know their actions may trigger demise.

Manslaughter whereas working below the affect. Learn is responsible if jurors discovered that she operated a motorcar on a public manner whereas below the affect of an “intoxicating liquor” with a blood alcohol content material of 0.08 or increased and that her actions transcended negligence into recklessness. Recklessness can be understanding the actions may trigger harm however doing them anyway, or that the actions weren’t unintentional and resulted in demise however not essentially supposed.

Then there are lesser included offenses of involuntary manslaughter and motorcar murder. Each are that Learn precipitated O’Keefe’s demise, with the primary being that she supposed the motion that precipitated his demise and that her conduct was wanton or reckless and the second the place she operated a motorcar drunkenly and negligently however that intent doesn’t matter.

The ultimate indicted cost is leaving the scene of an accident leading to demise. The jury can discover Learn responsible in the event that they discover that she operated a motorcar on a public manner, knowingly struck O’Keefe, precipitated his demise after which didn’t cease and cope with the authorized penalties, if any, or to keep away from prosecution.

It is a growing story.