By Joanna Putman
Police1
BOSTON – A Massachusetts State Police trooper may face further disciplinary action related to his conduct as the lead investigator in the high-profile Karen Read case, CBS Boston reported.
The suspension of Trooper Michael Proctor stems from inappropriate text messages revealed during the trial of Karen Read, who has been accused of murdering Boston Police Officer John O’ Keefe. The trial ended with a hung jury, leading to a mistrial.
During the trial, Proctor testified about derogatory messages he sent, including one stating, “hopefully she kills herself,” and another commenting, “no nudes so far,” while searching Read’s phone, according to the report.
These messages were deemed a violation of department policies and confidentiality standards. With both the federal probe and an internal investigation ongoing within the Massachusetts State Police, further actions against Proctor, including possible termination, remain on the table, according to the report.
“This case is unique because Proctor’s actions are unfolding publicly,” Todd McGhee, a former Massachusetts State Police trooper, noted. “He could face more sanctions depending on the outcomes of the ongoing investigations.”
Read is accused of killing O’Keefe, who was her boyfriend, by hitting him with her car in January 2022. She denies involvement, claiming O’Keefe was killed at a house party with other law enforcement personnel, according to another CBS Boston report.
The mistrial followed nearly two months of testimony and five days of jury deliberations, according to the report. Jurors reported being deeply divided, unable to reach a consensus on whether Read intentionally hit O’Keefe. Prosecutors plan to retry Read, with the next court date set for July 22.