Boston Police Officer Kelly Dever, who came under heavy scrutiny during Karen Read’s second murder trial, has stepped down from the force.
According to the Boston Police Department, Dever had been on family medical leave earlier in the summer, and her resignation officially took effect on September 1. A personnel order released Friday confirmed her departure but did not provide additional details about the circumstances.
Testimony Under the Spotlight
Dever, a former patrol officer in Canton, testified during Read’s trial regarding the night Boston officer John O’Keefe was discovered unconscious in the snow outside a Canton home in January 2022. Prosecutors alleged Read struck O’Keefe with her SUV while intoxicated, but the defense argued she was the victim of a police coverup.
In June, a jury acquitted Read of murder and manslaughter charges, convicting her only of a misdemeanor for driving under the influence.
During her testimony, Dever was pressed about her initial statement to federal investigators that she had seen Brian Higgins and then-Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz in the station’s garage for an unusually long time while Read’s SUV was there. Later, she claimed she had left before the vehicle arrived and described her earlier account as a “distorted memory.”
“It was a distorted memory. Therefore I can’t state it, because at this point it would be a lie,” Dever told the court, adding that she refused to repeat the statement under oath.
She further alleged that Read’s defense team threatened to accuse her of perjury if she did not testify in the way they wanted.
Dispute Over Credibility
The exchange drew sharp criticism from Read’s attorney, Alan Jackson, who wrote to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox demanding Dever be placed on the department’s Brady list — a registry of officers whose credibility is considered questionable.
Jackson argued Dever’s reliability had been “irreparably compromised,” saying her explanation meant she either lied in court or was prone to “false memories,” undermining her ability to serve as a trustworthy witness.
Dever also testified that she had spoken with Commissioner Cox before appearing in court but insisted the conversation was not about shaping her testimony. According to her, Cox simply told her to “tell the truth.”
Cox, for his part, denied influencing Dever or even being aware of her involvement in the Read case at the time. “I have nothing to do with Karen Read,” he told reporters in July, dismissing suggestions of interference.
Broader Context
Although O’Keefe had been a Boston police officer, he died while Cox was still serving as chief of police in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Meanwhile, Karen Read still faces a wrongful death lawsuit brought by O’Keefe’s family. She is expected back in court for the civil proceedings on September 22.
