Jack Rice Weighs In on Court TV: Chain of Custody and Admissibility at the Center of Karen Read Retrial
By Sullivan Rice
Criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Jack Rice appeared live on Court TV with anchor Ashley Willcott to provide expert analysis on the Karen Read murder retrial, focusing on a key legal issue at the heart of the case: the chain of custody and admissibility of physical evidence.
The discussion centered on testimony from Brian Gallagher, a witness who claimed to have found a broken cocktail glass in the snow—a potential piece of evidence in a case already under intense public scrutiny. According to Rice, the circumstances surrounding the discovery and handling of that glass may raise serious legal concerns.
“There are fundamental issues here involving chain of custody,” Rice said. “If you don’t know who had it, when they had it, and how it was handled from the moment it was discovered, it opens the door to reasonable doubt.”
What Is Chain of Custody?
Chain of custody refers to the meticulously documented trail that evidence follows from the moment it's collected to the time it’s presented in court. This includes:
Who found the evidence
Where and when it was found
How it was handled, stored, or analyzed
Who had access to it throughout the investigation
If at any point the documentation is missing or unclear, the integrity of the evidence can be called into question. In this case, Rice noted that if the broken glass was recovered without proper procedures, the defense could argue that it may have been mishandled or even tampered with—casting doubt on its credibility.
What Makes Evidence Admissible?
For evidence to be used in court, it must be admissible. That means it must meet certain legal criteria:
Relevance – It must help prove or disprove a fact in the case.
Reliability – It must be trustworthy, unaltered, and preserved properly.
Legality – It must have been obtained without violating constitutional rights.
Procedural Compliance – It must follow evidentiary rules, including a sound chain of custody.
As Rice explained, "It's not just about what the evidence is—it's about whether it can be trusted. If there's a break in the chain or unexplained gaps, that glass may never make it in front of a jury.”
Why This Matters
In a trial as closely watched as Karen Read’s, every piece of evidence is under a microscope. If defense attorneys can convince the court that the cocktail glass—or any other key item—has an uncertain history, they may file motions to suppress it entirely. Excluding even one piece of disputed evidence can shift the dynamics of a trial.
Ashley Willcott helped guide the conversation to clarify these legal standards for viewers, highlighting the importance of proper evidence handling in a case that has captivated the public and raised serious questions about investigative procedures.
As the retrial continues, legal analysts like Jack Rice are helping the public understand the stakes—not just in the courtroom, but in the foundational rules that govern our justice system.
If you or someone you care about is facing criminal charges and struggling with issues related to evidence, improper police procedures, or concerns about due process, don’t navigate the legal system alone. Jack Rice Defense brings decades of experience as both a former prosecutor and seasoned defense attorney. For trusted, strategic legal counsel, reach out to Jack Rice Defense today.
