Accused: The Karen Read Story - The true case behind the Lifetime movie, explored in depth

Accused: The Karen Read Story is a crime thriller film directed by Linda-Lisa Hayter. The film is based on the real-life case of Karen Read, whose husband was killed in 2022. The screenplay is written by Richard Blaney and Gregory Small. Here's the official synopsis as per Letterboxd

When Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe is found dead in a snowbank outside a friend’s home, his girlfriend Karen Read, is charged in connection with his death. What begins as a tragedy quickly ignites a firestorm that captures national attention.

Let's explore the real-life incident that inspired this Lifetime film.

The true story that inspired Accused: The Karen Read Story

Accused: The Karen Read Story is inspired by the real-life case of Karen Read. On January 29, 2022, a Boston police officer named John O'Keefe was found unconscious. His girlfriend, Karen Read, worked as a financial analyst and had dropped him off at a party. She showed up the next day after he did not reach home.

O'Keefe was declared dead at the nearby hospital. An autopsy report found serious injuries to his head. Read was arrested on murder charges. The prosecutors stated that she killed him by hitting him with her car. Read's defence team stated that O'Keefe died after she dropped him in the house.

Her first trial ended with a hung jury. A second trial took place in April 2025, and Read was found not guilty of murder. She was found liable for driving under the influence and was given a year of probation. Read had met O'Keefe in 2004, and they reconnected on Facebook during the pandemic. The case was covered by the media extensively.

Accused: The Karen Read Story stars Katie Cassidy as Karen, while Luke Humphrey plays O'Keefe. It also stars Sebastian Roberts (as Alan Jackson), Kurt Evans, Jason O Johnson, and Ryan Robbins.

In a TV Insider interview, Humphrey spoke about playing O'Keefe as a victim in the film.

“I felt so strongly that what was missing was a sense of who John was as a person, a celebration of the life he lived. My biggest hope is that we focus on and honor that this is the story of a real man, someone who was a father, a son, a brother, and a friend.”

He further spoke about his learning from Accused: The Karen Read Story.

“John’s decision to take on his sister’s kids as his own after she passed really stuck with me. Having a sense now of what that entails really gave me so much respect for him.”

Meanwhile, Cassidy said that she wasn't aware of the trial. But she did a deep dive into the case for the film.

“I did such a deep dive in researching the story, I almost felt like a detective myself. There was so much information about Karen Read, but very little on John O’Keefe. I hope this movie will shine a light on the complexity of our legal system while paying a tribute to the man who lost his life.”

Accused: The Karen Read Story was released on Lifetime on January 10, 2026.