Attorney Ian Runkle
Appearances
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And again, as far as the terminology, did you use in that text message to your wife?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And as far as your indication there, as far as she was a whack job, who are you referring to there?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Now, sir, if I could direct your attention to a message sent from Trooper to Chico, August 17th, 2022 at 9.42 p.m. Yes. And is that an image contained on the next page, which is 2683?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Now, turning your attention to the next page, there's a response from you, August 17th, 2022 at 9.44 p.m. Is that correct? Yes. If you could just read the three responses from yourself, sir.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Can you describe to the jury what it was specifically that you observed as far as damage to that area of the vehicle?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Now, as far as the vehicle was concerned, either in Dighton or at the Sallyport Garage or at any point in time that you were in the presence of that vehicle, what, if any, contact did you have? What, if anything, do or observe Sergeant Mechanic to do with regard to that damaged area you described on the right rear passenger side?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Now, in addition to a defendant's vehicle, what if anything else was taken and seized as evidence from the defendant on that morning?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
What do you not see in those text messages? You don't see any discussion or any illusion of any conspiracy. There is no conspiracy. There is no cover up. There is no evidence of any of that. And the defendant killed John O'Connor.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
There's a message there sent at 10.56 p.m., is that correct?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And you respond at 10.56 as well as 10.57, is that correct? Correct. And what is it that you respond?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And what, if anything, were you saying or what was the purpose of that text in regard to the homeowner?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Sir, if you could read through that page as far as who's texting and what are they saying?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And you see a response toward the bottom of the page from yourself, January 29, 2022 at 11.04 p.m. Yes. And can you read that response for the jury?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And sir, what is it that you were referring to there? Why would you text that?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And there's a photograph that's shared within this text communication, is that correct?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And who is depicted in that photograph that was shared within the group text?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And these are all from February 1st of 2022, around that time frame, is that correct? Yes. And sir, if I could direct you to the top of the page and ask you to read through that page, indicating who's speaking and what the content of those communications are.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
As far as attitudes expressed within these text messages and other text messages, what, if any, impact did that have as far as your investigation was concerned regarding these people?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
These are text messages from January 29, 2022, between yourself and your sister.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And as far as your answers to those questions, or as far as your communications that you had with your sister at this time, on the afternoon of January 29th, what were those in regard to, or why were you communicating that to your sister?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
Turning your attention to the next page, 2669. You could read from that page as far as who was talking and what the content is.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Pin It On The Girl: S1-E7
And sir, as far as the gift that's mentioned, as far as Julie Albert, is that anything that you have received at any point in time?
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
Here's attorney Ian Runkle. One of the key issues, and this is one that gets a lot of argument, is this issue of this internet search, which either occurs between 2 and 3 a.m. And if she does that search between 2 or 3 a.m., then the Commonwealth's case falls apart because they haven't
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
had to be aware at that point that John O'Keefe was dying in the cold at a time when nobody should have known except by the prosecution's theory, Karen Reid. And so if Jen McCabe was aware of that fact between 2 or 3 a.m., then the prosecution's entire case falls apart. I don't think that you can reconcile that search at that time with a theory that supports conviction. Jackson boldly proceeded.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
They have experts that say that that's sort of a digital artifact, a digital oops, essentially. And so that's either sort of weak evidence towards Karen Reid's guilt, or else if you flip it the other way, a complete failure of the prosecution's case.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
From looking at these discussions, it looks like it's because Higgins kind of came on too hard. He was looking for a lifelong commitment, whereas she was kind of flirting around. And so she sort of broke that off.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
I wouldn't agree with that. When it was suggested to him that Karen Reid ghosted him, he looked hurt and offended by that. But that actually seems to be consistent with the evidence. But Higgins continued on with a brave base.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
There's gaps in it. There's places where the video just drops out. And further, the video appears to have been inverted, which makes the officers look like they're not getting near this taillight.
KAREN: THE RETRIAL
Flirts and Googles: S1-E6
Even if that was done accidentally, it looks bad to a jury. It looks bad to the public when they see these things and they say, wait a minute, why is this going on? Alina offered a counterpoint.