AFTER OUTCRY FROM BIKING ADVOCATES, CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO MAKE THIS SECTION OF ROAD SAFER. THIS DRIVER DROVE OFF THE ROAD, WENT UP A CURB ONTO A SIDEWALK AND KILLED JOHN. LIKE, I’M NOT SURE IT WAS THE ROAD’S FAULT. REGARDLESS OF OF WHERE JOHN WAS ON THE ROAD AND REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE DRIVER WAS, THERE’S NO LOGICAL WAY THEY SHOULD HAVE COLLIDED, RIGHT? SO UNFORTUNATELY, I DO THINK THE DRIVER WAS AT FAULT. NOW, TONIGHT, THE DA’S OFFICE WOULD NOT CONFIRM EXACTLY WHAT CHARGES THEY ARE SEEKING. WE ARE NOT NAMING THE DRIVER BECAUSE HE HAS NOT YET BEEN CHARGED. LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE. SHAUN CHAIYABHAT. WCVB NEWSCENTER FIVE. SEAN. THANK YOU. KAREN REED’S SECOND TRIAL WILL START ON TIME NEXT TUESDAY. NOW THAT THE JUDGE IS SAYING NO TO REED’S REQUEST TO DISMISS ALL OF THE CHARGES, THAT RULING CAME AFTER REED’S DEFENSE GAVE A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF WHY THREE OTHER PEOPLE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR JOHN O’KEEFE’S DEATH. IN TODAY’S FINAL PRETRIAL HEARING, THE DEFENSE ASKED TO INTRODUCE THAT ARGUMENT AT TRIAL. WE’RE SOLELY SEEKING TO INTRODUCE THE CRUX OF A THIRD PARTY CULPRIT DEFENSE, WHICH IS EVIDENCE OF MOTIVE, OPPORTUNITY AND MEANS. TAKE A COUPLE OF FACTS. SOMEONE’S A BOXER. THEY DRANK ALCOHOL AND CONVERT IT INTO A STORY. JUDGE BEVERLY CANNON ALLOWED THE SO-CALLED THIRD PARTY CULPRIT DEFENSE AT REED’S FIRST TRIAL, WHICH ENDED, AS YOU KNOW, IN A HUNG JURY. BUT SHE HAS NOT YET DECIDED IF SHE WILL ALLOW IT FOR THE RETRIAL. REED IS ACCUSED OF BACKING INTO O’KEEFE WITH THEIR SUV IN CANTON BACK IN 2022. AND OUR DAVID BIENICK HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY DURING ANY HEARINGS. HE SHARES HIS NOTES FROM INSIDE THE COURTROOM RIGHT TO OUR WCVB WEBSITE AND MOBILE APP. THERE ARE ALSO LINKS TO ANY IMAGES OR EVIDENCE INTRODUCED IN COURT. IT’S A GREAT RESOURCE. WE’LL CONTINUE TO BE AS WE GO THROUGH THAT SECOND TRIAL. NEW ON FIVE. WORCESTER’S NEW POLICE CHIEF IS SPEAKING PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORT FOUND OFFICERS IN THAT CITY DEPRIVED PEOPLE OF THEIR RIGHTS. SOME WORCESTER CITY LEADERS HAVE CALLED THE REPORT INACCURATE. LET’S GET TO OUR. PETER ILIOPOULOS IS LIVE IN WORCESTER TONIGHT WITH THE NEW CHIEF’S RESPONSE. PETER. YEAH. ED MARIA. SO THE CHIEF SAID THAT AT LEAST ONE OFFICER WHO IS ACCUSED OF PEPPER SPRAYING AN INDIVIDUAL WHILE THEY WERE HANDCUFFED HAS BEEN LET GO FROM THE DEPARTMENT AS A RESULT OF THIS REPORT HERE. BUT HE ALSO SAYS MANY ASPECTS OF THE REPORT ARE INCORRECT. TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE WPD HAS EXONERATED OFFICERS FOR EGREGIOUS ACTS OF MISCONDUCT. AND I ASK YOU, WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS PUBLIC COMMENT AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE WORCESTER CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT DISCUSSING THE CITY’S RESPONSE TO A SCATHING DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORT INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CLAIMING THE USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE AND SEXUAL WRONGDOING IN PROSTITUTION INVESTIGATIONS. MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE CALLING FOR MORE OVERSIGHT. TODAY, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHING A CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD. CONSIDER A CIVILIAN REVIEW COMMITTEE. THE RESEARCH I’VE DONE ON CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARDS. IT REALLY DOESN’T WORK. WORCESTER’S NEW POLICE CHIEF NOW PUBLICLY ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS IN THE REPORT AND AUTHORED THIS RESPONSE OUTLINING THE CHANGES THEY’RE MAKING IN THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL OFFICER TRAINING, NEW POLICIES REGARDING UNDERCOVER OFFICERS AND PROSTITUTION INVESTIGATIONS, NEW USE OF FORCE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND RANDOM BODY CAMERA REVIEW. WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR POLICIES, AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO. BUT WE’RE ALSO GOING TO PUT OUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW WHEN THERE’S A DISCREPANCY IN A REPORT, THEY SHOULD BE ADVISED OF THAT AS WELL. SOME COUNCILORS QUESTIONING HIM TONIGHT SAY MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. LONG STANDING CONCERNS THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT I REALLY DON’T WANT TO SEE DISMISSED ANYMORE. NOW, THE CHIEF SAYING TONIGHT HE MET WITH THE NEW U.S. ATTORNEY LAST MONTH, BUT HAS NOT MET WITH HER SINCE. IT’S UNCLEAR IF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NEW DOJ WILL PURSUE THIS MATTER ANY FURTHER. LIVE