A crash course in the case of Karen Read, before her murder trial

As in many high-profile legal sagas, the Karen Read case was a marathon, not a sprint.

Jury selection in the Mansfield woman’s trial begins Tuesday, more than two years after the death of Read’s boyfriend — Boston police officer John O’Keefe — thrust the town of Canton into the national spotlight .

Below, find a crash course on the case.

Prosecutors say Read hit O’Keefe with her SUV as she dropped him off at a home in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, after a night out with friends. Read was allegedly drunk when she left O’Keefe to die in the snow outside a fellow Boston police officer’s home on Fairview Road, officials said.

Read’s lawyers say, however, this Read was framed in a widespread conspiracy among law enforcement, homeowners, and other guests at the after-party. They suggested that O’Keefe was actually beaten inside the house, possibly attacked by the family dog, a German shepherd named Chloe, and left outside.

The accusations Read faces charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a collision causing injury and death. She has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

The key players are a motley crew of witnesses, law enforcement officers, media figures and others connected to the case.

The proof The heart of the case is highly controversial, with highly controversial Google searches, cell phone data and off-the-cuff comments Read allegedly made at the scene. Then, of course, there is the federal investigation investigating allegations of a police cover-up in the investigation into O’Keefe’s death.

The testing schedule will include full days in court on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and half days in the morning on Tuesday and Thursday, Judge Beverly Cannone said during a hearing last month. Defense lawyer Alan Jackson previously estimated the trial could last up to six weeks. Jury selection is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Norfolk Superior Court.

If you plan to attend, Keep in mind that Cannone recently established a 200-foot buffer zone to keep protesters away from the courthouse during Read’s trial. Cannone is also restricting demonstrations and certain clothing inside the courthouse while the trial is underway.