Attorneys in Karen Read’s murder retrial met with Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone on Thursday to discuss instructions for the jury ahead of closing arguments. Read, 45, of Mansfield, is accused of striking John O’Keefe,

After Karen Read's defense finished presenting their case to the jury, prosecutors declined to present a rebuttal case.

Arguing the motion, David Yannetti, a lawyer for Read, said the two witnesses the defense called from ARCCA, an accident reconstruction expert and a biomechanical engineer, “drove a stake through the heart of the commonwealth’s case.” “These indictments cannot stand,” he said.

Karen Read on Tuesday disputed Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone’s claim that jurors in her murder retrial are “fed up” with the case.

Karen Read's fate in jurors' hands following month-long retrial with dramatic dashcam footage, expert testimony challenging vehicle collision theory, and powerful closing arguments.

Both sides in Karen Read’s murder retrial appeared in court Thursday for a hearing before they deliver closing arguments to jurors on Friday. The hearing is known as a charge conference, where the parties hash out instructions the jury will receive before they start deliberating. Jurors weren’t present for Thursday’s proceedings.

“I don’t believe that’s consistent with the evidence and what occurred,” Rentschler replied. Rentschler was the final defense witness, just as he was during Read’s first trial last summer. After he left the stand, Jackson announced Read’s defense would rest its case subject to a final ruling on evidence.

The jury in the Karen Read trial heard drastically different closing arguments Friday before deliberations began.

Jurors begin deliberations in Karen Read's second murder trial after Friday's closing arguments and judicial instructions from Judge Beverly Cannone.

A conviction of any kind would almost certainly prompt a series of appeals by Karen Read. Here are the possible outcomes and what would happen next.

Prosecutor Hank Brennan opened his closing argument by saying Read callously decided to leave O’Keefe dying in the snow, fully aware that he was gravely injured. He described that decision as “a choice” to let O’Keefe die. He also said Read was well beyond the legal alcohol limit when she drove at the time.

Judge Beverly Cannone is a breakout star of the Karen Read case. Judge Belvin Perry, who oversaw Casey Anthony's trial, knows that feeling.