As deliberations continue in the Karen Read murder trial, residents of Canton, Massachusetts are looking forward to restoring peace in the town that’s been divided by the high-profile case.

“There’s a lot of distrust, a lot of anger,” said Gail White, a resident of the area. “It’s like we’re ridiculed because we live in Canton.”

For the past three and a half years, the small town has been in the spotlight. It is where Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe with a car in 2022, then leaving him to die in a snowstorm.

“Dark cloud over the community”

“I think it’s brought a dark cloud over the community,” a resident named Hadley told WBZ.

Katherine Murphy agreed saying, “Everybody, especially if they find out I live in Canton, is like what do you think of the Karen Read trial? What do you know?” she said. “I have friends that live in England, and they’ve even been following it and asked me ‘Do you have any good insights?'”

The case has garnered both local and national attention. These residents say it’s torn their community and many longtime friendships apart. “Unfortunately, when they found out they had a difference of opinion they’re not friends anymore,” White said.

She says the town has been split in half: those who believe Read is innocent and those who think she’s guilty of murder.

“It’s like you’re afraid to say anything, you’re afraid to voice your opinion and you’re afraid to really say what you want to say because you don’t know who’s listening, who’s going to condemn you or make fun of you,” White said.

Hopeful for a return to normalcy

Friday morning, lawyers delivered their closing arguments in the case, leaving Read’s fate in the hands of a jury.

“Hopefully things can get back to somewhat normal and Canton will not be the center of attention in the news anymore,” Murphy said.

Regardless of the outcome in this case, another resident named Mike told WBZ he just hopes peace will be restored in the town. “I think we can just turn the page and move forward,” he said.

White echoed that sentiment saying, “I’m hoping it gets back just for the youth of tomorrow and the kids that live here,” she continued. “Everything great about Canton I wish that they could experience it without all the riffraff in the background.”