On February 1, 2022, Karen Read was arrested on charges of manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide, and leaving the scene of a deadly crash. Since then, Read has been fighting for her freedom alongside her defense team led by attorneys Alan Jackson and David Yannetti. As more information about the case is uncovered, the more it seems Karen Read was framed for a crime she did not commit.
The Karen Read Case has sparked a movement across Massachusetts called the “Free Karen Read” movement. Every day, supporters of Read rally outside the Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts. Supporters often bring signs and wear pink to show support for Read and her defense team. Additionally, the movement has a “GoFundMe” which has raised nearly $910 thousand as of April 26, 2025.
Since the beginning of the first trial, Karen Read supporters Brenda Sweeney and Cheryl Breen have rallied daily outside the courthouse in Dedham, Massachusetts. The movement has affected their lives and their views of the justice system in Massachusetts.
“I’m from Canton, which is the epicenter of this disaster, and I’ve actually had … chemicals thrown on my yard to try and intimidate us. We don’t even want to call the police if we needed 911 because we don’t know who to trust,” said Brenda Sweeney.
The Karen Read case has urged people to speak up about the injustice and the abuse of power that police officers in Canton, Massachusetts, are causing. Though at times the outcome of the case seems foggy, “Free Karen Read” will not give up or be silenced. And even in her second trial, Read, her team, and her supporters still have fight left in the tank.
“It makes me second-guess the intention behind police officers investigating crimes now. Like with Sandra Birchemore, I assumed, like everybody else did, what was written in the news and in the media, she committed suicide, but she didn’t,” said Melanie Fletcher.
Though the “Free Karen Read” movement mainly circulates the Karen Read Case, there are deeper concerns of supporters of Read regarding their safety in their communities.
Questions rising about the true intentions of police officers and what they can get away with are not something people should be worried about; however, the Karen Read case proves that this is a relevant issue that has been going on for decades and needs to be addressed immediately.
Cheryl Breen said, “People need to know that somebody is being framed here, and the police are doing it.”