Boston.com, September 2024
In tapping Hank Brennan to lead prosecutors’ upcoming retrial of Karen Read, Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey touted the veteran defense attorney’s esteemed reputation, decades of experience, and familiarity with “complex law enforcement matters.” Credentials aside, though, legal analysts say the special prosecutor’s most valuable asset at this crucial juncture may be the fresh perspective he brings to Read’s controversial murder case. In fact, two experts who spoke with Boston.com said Brennan’s appointment could mean some notable changes for Round 2.
“What this case needs, I think, is truly a reevaluation, a sort of soup to nuts reevaluation of, ‘Is it worth expending resources on another trial, given what happened before and given all of the evidence that might be favorable to Karen Read,’” said Daniel Medwed, a criminal law professor at Northeastern University.
