Sue Simpson

I am. I am. I'm here for the start of jury selection in Karen Reid's second trial. You'll remember she's charged with hitting and killing her police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, with her SUV a little over three years ago now. She's pleaded not guilty. And the scene here in Dedham is still kind of wild.

You know, the judge, it's the same judge, Beverly Canone, has set an even bigger buffer zone around the courthouse to keep the crowds at bay.

You know, the judge, it's the same judge, Beverly Canone, has set an even bigger buffer zone around the courthouse to keep the crowds at bay.

This time there's something called a randomizer, actually, which is selecting all the reporters in the tiny courtroom.

This time there's something called a randomizer, actually, which is selecting all the reporters in the tiny courtroom.

When jury selection started on Tuesday, I was there very early in the morning and there are metal barricades up all around the court, more than in the past. I saw Dedham police going by on bicycles and, of course, their Massachusetts state troopers stationed in front of the court as they were last time. It feels like there's more security. I saw really small groups of protesters.

When jury selection started on Tuesday, I was there very early in the morning and there are metal barricades up all around the court, more than in the past. I saw Dedham police going by on bicycles and, of course, their Massachusetts state troopers stationed in front of the court as they were last time. It feels like there's more security. I saw really small groups of protesters.

They were waving huge flags and they were wearing pink.

They were waving huge flags and they were wearing pink.

Oh boy, it is going to be a challenge. And people are saying, the judge is saying it could take two to three weeks. So on the first day, almost 100 prospective jurors were brought into the courtroom. And here's why it's going to be a problem. Three quarters of them said that they'd heard about the case with many of those people saying that they'd already formed an opinion about it.

Oh boy, it is going to be a challenge. And people are saying, the judge is saying it could take two to three weeks. So on the first day, almost 100 prospective jurors were brought into the courtroom. And here's why it's going to be a problem. Three quarters of them said that they'd heard about the case with many of those people saying that they'd already formed an opinion about it.

And that's not, of course, what either side wants to hear. One more thing I want to say, having watched the proceedings on Tuesday when jury selection started, it's really interesting to see how deeply involved Karen is in working on the jury selection process. She is going through the questionnaires with the attorneys. She's sometimes at sidebar with them as they grill prospective jurors.

And that's not, of course, what either side wants to hear. One more thing I want to say, having watched the proceedings on Tuesday when jury selection started, it's really interesting to see how deeply involved Karen is in working on the jury selection process. She is going through the questionnaires with the attorneys. She's sometimes at sidebar with them as they grill prospective jurors.

I'm not surprised at all. Is Alan Jackson there, her L.A. attorney? Yes. He is. And they've also added a New York attorney. And they actually added an alternate juror from the first trial, somebody who came forward who's an attorney. And she's working with the team. So she was going through questionnaires Tuesday as well with Karen. Fascinating.

I'm not surprised at all. Is Alan Jackson there, her L.A. attorney? Yes. He is. And they've also added a New York attorney. And they actually added an alternate juror from the first trial, somebody who came forward who's an attorney. And she's working with the team. So she was going through questionnaires Tuesday as well with Karen. Fascinating.

Yeah, they have. They winnowed down about 100 prospective jurors to 13 men and three women. So that will be the 12 and four alternates. They filled out online questionnaires, you know, what have you heard about the case? She's rolling the dice here by representing herself.

Yeah, they have. They winnowed down about 100 prospective jurors to 13 men and three women. So that will be the 12 and four alternates. They filled out online questionnaires, you know, what have you heard about the case? She's rolling the dice here by representing herself.

Yeah, and so that led to a pretty intense moment in court earlier this week when they were still working their way through pretrial motions. Lori's trying to have a speedy trial, but the prosecution has said it's too speedy, that they don't have enough information about what she's planned for her defense. And they actually said she's trying to conduct a trial by ambush.

Yeah, and so that led to a pretty intense moment in court earlier this week when they were still working their way through pretrial motions. Lori's trying to have a speedy trial, but the prosecution has said it's too speedy, that they don't have enough information about what she's planned for her defense. And they actually said she's trying to conduct a trial by ambush.

And Lori kind of took offense to that.