Jurors are hearing more testimony from key witnesses Thursday in the murder trial of Karen Read. Matthew McCabe, who was present at the Canton, Massachusetts, home hours before John O’Keefe’s body was found outside, was on the stand. Earlier, the Albert family remained in the hot seat. Colin...
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Colin Albert is cross-examined by defense about text messages
Defense attorney Alan Jackson began his cross-examination of Colin Albert on Thursday by asking Albert if he spoke with anyone to prepare for his testimony, including his parents. But Albert said he only spoke with his attorney.
Albert did say he spoke with Lally about a month ago in order to prepare for his testimony. He said they discussed questions that might be asked in court.
Albert was also asked if he had watched any coverage of the Read trial on television or social media. Albert said he had not, and said he doesn't even have social media.
He also denied talking to his friend Allison McCabe before her testimony.
In response to a series of questions from Jackson about trial preparations, Colin Albert seemed to have trouble remembering recent events, responding with a steady string of "I don't remembers" and "I don't knows."
Jackson asked him about a series of text exchanges between Albert and McCabe that were shown in court Wednesday. His memory on when he had seen those texts before also seemed fuzzy.
The defense attorney pointed out how odd it was that Albert could remember the exact minute he left his uncle's house on Fairview Road on the night before O'Keefe's death, but he has trouble remembering so many other things.
"Who's Courtney Proctor?" Jackson then asked, referencing the sister of Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the Read case
who is now the subject of an internal investigation.
"My aunt Jillian she's friendly with. I know that they're pretty friendly," Colin Albert said.
He said he has been to Courtney Proctor's home four or five times over the years. Asked if her family is close to his family, he replied, "Not that close. I'd say we were more close when I was younger, not when I was older."
Jackson then showed Albert a photo taken sometime within the past 10 years, showing that Albert was the ring bearer in Courtney Proctor's wedding.
"You were actually close neough to be a member of her wedding party when she was married to her now husband, correct?" Jackson asked.
"When I was younger, correct," Albert replied.
Albert confirmed that Michael Proctor is Courtney's brother, and also that Michael Proctor was in the same photo and was part of the same wedding party.j
Asked how long he has known Michael Proctor, Albert said, "Since I was a little kid" and acknowledged that he considers the Proctor family close to his family.
Albert said he was never interviewed by Canton police about the Read case, and was interviewed once by state police in the summer of 2023, about a year an a half after O'Keefe's death. He said Michael Proctor and another trooper conducted the interview at the Norfolk District Attorney's Office.
He said he couldn't recall how long the interview lasted, but was shown previous testimony he had given saying it lasted 10 minutes.
"What was the tone of that interview? Was it hostile and accusatory?" Jackson asked.
"Not that I remember, no," Albert said.
"He was friendly, cordial. And the interview was comfortable," Jackson said.
"Correct," Albert replied.
Albert also testified that Michael Proctor never took his phone or asked to see it.
Jackson then shifted gears and asked about the text exchange with Allison McCabe that was shown in court Wednesday. Albert acknowledged that McCabe is not only a family member but also a close friend.
Albert confirmed that when he communicated with McCabe, it was usually via text message.
Jackson displayed the text message exchange between Albert and McCabe, showing that there was almost a month gap in text messages between them following O'Keefe's death, from Jan. 29 to Feb. 20, 2022.
"Notwithstanding the fact of this tragedy, you and Allie didn't text each other one time for a month?" Jackson asked.
"I don't think that's correct," Albert replied.
"So where are all of the texts?" Jackson asked.
"We text on other platforms too," Albert said
Jackson then asked why they would have switched from text messages to another platform, like Snapchat.
"No reason," Albert replied. "We go back and forth between platforms."
"Do you know that Snapchat has an autodelete function?" Jackson asked him.
"If your app is set to that," Albert replied, but added that he couldn't remember if his app was set to that function.
"Isn't it true, Mr. Albert, that you either switched platforms or deleted texts because you didn't want your text communications with Allie McCabe to be discovered?" Jackson asked. "Is that right?"
"That's not true," Albert said.
"So where are those communications?" Jackson asked.
"I do not know," Albert said.
Jackson next asked Albert about a night on Feb. 26, 2022, less than a month after O'Keefe's death, when Albert and some friends were at a bar called Fenway Johnnies in Boston. He submitted a photo into evidence showing Albert with his arm around two friends. Jackson asked about Albert's right hand, and what he noticed.
"It's cut up," Albert said.
The photo was taken by a staff member at Fenway Johnnies and later posted on social media, Albert acknowledged.
"How'd you get those injuries?" Jackson asked.
"I was at a house party my senior year," Albert said. "I remember it being icy out. It was kind of like a steep hill of a driveway, and I was walking up the driveway and I slipped, tried to brace myself with my right hand and ended up sliding a little bit down the driveway."
Jackson then asked if Albert had ever been in a fight.
"Other than with my brothers, no," Albert said.
Jackson also asked Albert if he has ever boxed, and Albert said no, other than to "hit the bag for cardio."
