Defendant Karen Read, third from left, with her attorneys Elizabeth Little, Alan Jackson and David Yannetti at a pre-trial hearing this month.

After months of courtroom battles, conspiracy theories, and allegations of a cover-up, the trial for the killing of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe commences today.

O’Keefe’s body was discovered on January 29, 2022, in the snow outside the home of another Boston police officer in Canton, Massachusetts. His girlfriend, former finance professor Karen Read, has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a collision.

Residents of Canton and nearby areas have debated two possible scenarios for months: Was O’Keefe assaulted inside the officer’s residence and then thrown outside to perish in the snow? Or did his girlfriend fatally strike him with her black Lexus SUV?

Protesters have accused local authorities of attempting to cover up the truth to shield the homeowner and have disrupted city council meetings demanding answers. Some have created private Facebook groups and participated in online discussions to delve into the details of that fateful night, transforming what started as a local homicide case into a nationwide sensation.

Jury selection commenced on Tuesday in Norfolk County, south of Boston. The extensive media coverage surrounding the case complicates the task of selecting an impartial jury. According to Daniel Medwed, a criminal law professor at Northeastern University, potential jurors may need to be individuals who are familiar with O’Keefe’s death or have read about it but have not yet formed an opinion.

Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe.

“It’s fair to say a large number of people in Massachusetts know about this case,” Medwed told CNN. “What happens in these jury selection processes is that the lawyers will say, ‘Well, given what you know, can you still be fair’? It’s possible that there could be 12 citizens, residents of this county, who haven’t made up their mind.”

The case has deeply divided the Boston suburb of 24,000 people and neighboring towns.

As the trial begins at the Norfolk County Superior Court building in Dedham, Massachusetts, here are the key highlights.