The Shadow System Is No Longer Quiet—And No Longer Deniable

I’m writing this because I’m not just a writer—I have other interests, too. And one of them, like many of you, is in the place we call home. In our state. In our systems. In the corruption that could just as easily target any one of us. We could be Karen Read. That’s why I feel obligated to write about it. So forgive me if I’m straying a little from my usual topics. Hey, I’ve had enough. And I think a lot of us have.

Who would have thought that Norfolk County, Massachusetts—once a symbol of justice—would become the epicenter of a national reckoning?

This is the birthplace of the Massachusetts Constitution, a foundational text that shaped American democracy. We’re proud of our liberal ideals, academic brilliance, and progressive values. But beneath that polished image lies a darker truth—one rooted in the same soil that hosted the Salem witch trials, where hysteria, fear, and influence outweighed evidence.

That contradiction—between lofty ideals and messy realities—is on full display in Commonwealth vs. Karen Read.

Let’s not forget: a man died. Officer John O’Keefe, by all accounts, was a dedicated public servant. He deserved a transparent, impartial investigation. Every citizen does.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, we’ve witnessed a public spectacle. A slow implosion of faith in the system. And the deeper you look, the more it seems like this isn’t about justice—it’s about protection. The case against Karen Read doesn’t look clean. It looks retaliatory. It looks like a desperate effort to prop up a crumbling structure that’s quietly run things for decades.

Evidence has been mishandled or gone missing. Surveillance footage is mysteriously edited. Cell phones disappear. Key timelines don’t make sense. Investigators send vulgar, unprofessional texts. Evidence is collected in Stop & Shop bags. Witnesses with law enforcement ties are shielded, while critics are arrested under obscure laws.

One of the most chilling moments came when the District Attorney released a video, publicly pleading with citizens to leave witnesses alone. That alone should raise red flags.

Because this is not how justice is supposed to work.

As a nurse with decades of experience, I’ve been trained to identify injury patterns, trauma, and inconsistencies. And I can say this with certainty: this doesn’t look like a car accident. It never did.

Worse still is what didn’t happen. No perimeter was secured. No thorough search of the home where John O’Keefe was found—coincidentally, another officer’s home. No door-to-door canvassing. If that had been your house or mine, it would have been torn apart.

Ask any medical or law enforcement professional without a stake in this case: Are those injuries consistent with a hit-and-run? Was the investigation conducted by the book? The honest answer, from the unbiased, is no.

Whether or not Karen Read was involved, this case should never have reached trial. The investigation alone disqualifies it.

I’m not declaring her innocence or guilt. That’s for a jury—ideally one not steeped in small-town politics. But I am saying this: the system is acting like it’s protecting something. And it’s not Officer O’Keefe. It’s itself.

If you know Massachusetts, you know that beneath the forward-facing progress lies a deeply entrenched network of legacy names, backroom deals, and family dynasties. There are towns here where your last name outweighs the facts. Where quiet favors matter more than public truth. And when someone threatens that status quo, they’re silenced.

Karen Read didn’t lay down. And now, we’re watching the consequences.

If you grew up around Boston—like I did—you’re not surprised. In places like Revere, we were raised with a simple rule: don’t talk to the cops, don’t trust the courts. Justice was blind, deaf, and dumb. You stayed out of it if you could.

But still, we hoped. Hoped that maybe it worked for someone.

Now, the shadow system we whispered about is out in the open. It’s loud. It’s ugly. And it’s terrifying.

Because even if Karen Read were guilty—which the evidence fails to prove—what’s unfolding should scare every one of us. A justice system more interested in preserving itself than finding the truth is a danger to everyone.

If it can happen here—in educated, polished, progressive Norfolk County—what do you think is happening elsewhere?

This isn’t just about Karen Read. Or even Officer O’Keefe.

It’s about all of us. It’s about whether we live in a system where justice belongs to the people—or to those who know how to manipulate it from the shadows.

And whether we’re finally ready to admit that maybe… it never really worked the way we hoped.

If you are interested in a detailed video breakdown of the case CLICK HERE.