Judge Allows Crash Analysts to Testify in Murder Retrial of Woman

NORFOLK, Mass. — A judge has cleared the way for two crash analysis experts to testify for the defense in the retrial of a woman charged with killing her boyfriend in a 2022 incident. Judge Beverly Cannone made the announcement during a court hearing on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of honesty from legal counsel.

Cannone stated, “Candor with the court is essential. A lawyer is only as good as his or her word, and I need to be able to take counsel at their word, so I’m not going to tolerate false statements, any stretching of the truth, no misleading distortions. There’s no place for that in the courtroom.”

The retrial for 45-year-old Amanda Read is scheduled to commence on April 1. She has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder and manslaughter while operating under the influence. Prosecutors allege that Read backed her Lexus SUV into her boyfriend, hours after a night of drinking, leading to a fatal incident in Canton.

Cannone’s ruling came after the prosecution filed a motion requesting to bar the ARCCA witnesses based in Philadelphia from testifying. The judge rejected those efforts while mandating that both sides comply with discovery obligations. How the ARCCA witnesses’ testimony will impact the trial remains to be seen, as they have previously asserted that injuries sustained by the victim do not align with being struck by a vehicle.

During earlier court sessions, it was revealed that discussions between Read’s attorney and one of the ARCCA analysts raised concerns about potential misrepresentations. Cannone indicated that the defense’s characterization of the analysts as “neutral experts” was not entirely accurate.

After highlighting repeated misrepresentations by the defense, Cannone expressed her intent to address any appropriate sanctions after a sidebar conference with legal counsel.

The judge also heard arguments regarding the presence of witnesses during closing statements. Read’s attorneys have claimed that certain prosecution witnesses seated with the victim’s family in the courtroom may have intimidated jurors during the first trial. No witnesses have faced charges in connection with the case aside from Read.

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan firmly opposed the defense’s motion, labeling it as an attempt to unfairly target witnesses linked to the case. He asserted, “The idea that witnesses should not come in after the evidence rests and during a closing does not seem to have any basis in law or courtesy.”

Additionally, another potential witness in the upcoming retrial is Aidan Kearney, an individual who has publicly supported Read’s claims of innocence. Kearney’s history includes allegations of harassment toward witnesses involved in the case.

Meanwhile, Read’s initial trial ended in a mistrial due to jurors’ inability to reach a unanimous decision. She remains free on bail while her legal team prepares for the retrial.