True Crime Psychology: Why People Obsess Over Karen Read’s Innocence
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3 • 791 Ratings
🗓️ 28 May 2025
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What makes the Karen Read case so emotionally charged? Why are people camping outside the courthouse, waving flags, rejecting evidence, and rallying behind a woman facing second-degree murder charges?
In this special episode of Hidden Killers, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins us to unpack the psychology of belief, and what really drives people to obsessively defend someone they’ve never met — even in the face of damning digital and forensic evidence.
We examine the roots of group identity, conspiracy culture, and the emotional satisfaction that comes from feeling part of a cause. Shavaun explains why confirmation bias is so powerful in high-profile cases, how emotional narratives override forensic facts, and why some supporters feel personally attacked when Read is questioned.
This isn’t just about Karen Read. It’s about what the true crime community, and the public at large, project onto these cases — often turning defendants into symbols of distrust in law enforcement, or avatars of their own trauma.
If you’ve ever wondered why people become radicalized around a defendant, this episode is a must-listen psychological blueprint for mass obsession, emotional loyalty, and the war between facts and feelings.
#KarenRead #KarenReadSupporters #ShavaunScott #GroupPsychology #TrueCrimeCommunity #KarenReadTrial #CourtroomPsychology #PublicObsession #MassPsychology #HiddenKillers
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | If you're fascinated by True Crime, then join us in June 2025 for CrimeCon London. |
| 0:06.3 | Meet the biggest names in True Crime TV, experience live forensic demonstrations, |
| 0:11.5 | and dive deep into the criminal mind with your favourite authors, podcasters and content creators. |
| 0:17.5 | To secure your place, go to crimecon.co.uk now and be part of the UK's biggest true crime community. |
| 0:24.6 | CrimeCon London, partnered by True Crime Channel 7th and 8th of June 2025. |
| 0:31.6 | If you're fascinated by True Crime, then join us in June 2025 for CrimeCon London. Meet the biggest names in |
| 0:39.2 | True Crime TV, experience live forensic demonstrations and dive deep into the criminal mind with |
| 0:45.3 | your favourite authors, podcasters and content creators. To secure your place, go to |
| 0:50.8 | crimecon.com.com.combe. be part of the UK's biggest true crime community. |
| 0:56.3 | CrimeCon London, partnered by True Crime Channel 7th and 8th of June 2025. |
| 1:03.2 | This is Hidden Killers with Tony Brewski. Here now, Tony Bruske. |
| 1:09.3 | You tell me what the hell you think is going on here. |
| 1:11.0 | The fact that she could sit back and watch all of these people have their names drug through |
| 1:18.0 | the mud, be attacked emotionally, physically by her band of flying monkeys and the pink-wearing people behind the blogger. |
| 1:31.8 | Just watch this madness occur and watch these people be torn apart. |
| 1:36.8 | People that she was supposedly kind of getting friendly with that were good friends of John. |
| 1:42.1 | And she sees all of this happening. |
| 1:46.1 | And let's assume she knows she hit him. |
| 1:48.4 | Let's assume that she knew that and she's still, you know, |
| 1:51.3 | going down this road of, no, I didn't. |
| 1:53.2 | These people did it. |
| 1:54.7 | What the hell does that say about someone if you were able to watch other people suffer? |
... |
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