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A grand juror involved in the federal proceedings related to the Karen Read case in Massachusetts has been charged with leaking confidential information. Jessica Leslie, 34, has agreed to a plea deal, which includes a one-day sentence, credited as time served, and two years of probation. She must also pay a $100 special assessment, according to court documents.
Leslie was charged with criminal contempt on July 11 for allegedly leaking sealed information from a grand jury proceeding. The leaked details included the names of witnesses, their testimonies, and other evidence under seal. Although the recipients of the leaks were not identified, the case was confirmed to be related to Karen Read.
Karen Read was acquitted last month in her second trial of charges including murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. Prosecutors had alleged that Read ran over O'Keefe with her SUV after a night of drinking, but her defense argued that O'Keefe's fellow officers covered up the real cause of his death. Read was found guilty of driving under the influence and received one year of probation.
Leslie's plea hearing has yet to be scheduled in Boston. Meanwhile, Read is facing a wrongful death lawsuit filed by O'Keefe's family, which has been on hold pending the outcome of her second trial.