Commonwealth sought to exclude Brown University professor’s expert testimony in Karen Reed trial

Dr. Elizabeth Laposata, a Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Brown University, took the stand in the Karen Read trial Monday afternoon. Laposata is being presented as an expert witness by the defense due to her extensive medical background.

Read’s attorneys have argued that injuries on O’Keefe’s arms were not caused by Read’s vehicle, but instead by the dog belonging to Brian Albert, the owner of the home where O’Keefe’s body was found.

Laposata testified she has performed about 50 autopsies herself involving dog bites, with the injuries not always being the cause of death. Laposata also testified to supervising about 75 autopsies where dog bites were involved.

The Commonwealth pushed to have the portion of Laposata’s testimony excluded that discusses dog bites. However, the defense argued that Laposata should be allowed to discuss the topic because she has performed multiple autopsies involving dog bites.

Judge Cannone previously ruled Laposata was unqualified to testify about whether markings found on O’Keefe’s arm are consistent with dog bite wounds, but can discuss what she believed caused O’Keefe’s injuries. On Tuesday, Cannone said Laposata could testify that O’Keefe’s injuries were consistent with animal bites and not dog bites specifically. 

Laposata was the chief medical examiner in Rhode Island for 12 years. Her time in that role included the aftermath of the Station nightclub fire that took the lives of 100 people.

Photo: WCVB5

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