Boston Officer Faces Tough Questions in Read Trial

BOSTON, Mass. — A Boston police officer faced intense questioning on the stand during the trial of a high-profile case involving the death of John O'Keefe. Officer Dever, who was on duty in Canton at the time of O’Keefe’s death, testified in court on Monday due to her earlier statements made to federal investigators.

On January 29, 2022, O’Keefe’s body was found, prompting an investigation where Dever reported seeing then-police chief Ken Berkowitz and ATF agent Brian Higgins near O’Keefe’s SUV for an extended period. However, while testifying, she retracted this claim, saying it was a false memory influenced by the circumstances.

Dever clarified that her shift ended at 3:45 p.m., and the SUV wasn’t towed until much later, allowing for no chance she could have witnessed the incident as she originally stated. Legal experts highlight that while this misremembering might not impact her ability to testify in future cases, it has raised concerns about her credibility.

Retired Superior Court Judge Jack Lu affirmed, “A failure of memory in one case is not admissible in another case. This is black letter law.” Nonetheless, defense attorney Mark Bederow, who has been following the trial, expressed that her retraction was troubling, casting doubt on her ability to provide reliable testimony.

Bederow noted Dever’s specific recollection before the FBI made her claim difficult to dismiss. During her testimony, Dever admitted that Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox had met with her prior to her court appearance. Jackson insinuated that Cox’s comment to “do the right thing” suggested that she align with police interests.

Bederow interpreted this meeting as a signal that the “Blue Wall” mentality was at play in the case. However, Dever maintained that Cox’s leadership was commendable. Bederow described her behavior on the stand as “embarrassing” and criticized her reaction toward Jackson for mispronouncing her name.

Despite the tension in the courtroom, Judge Lu disagreed with the notion that Dever’s demeanor was confrontational. He stated, “At most, the witness examination was tense. A trial is not a tea party.” As the trial continues, the impact of Dever’s testimony remains to be seen.