Trooper Michael Proctor, lead investigator in the Karen Read case, suspended without pay

Michael Proctor, a Massachusetts State Police trooper who led the investigation into the murder of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, has been suspended without pay pending the completion of an internal investigation.

A three-officer status hearing panel on Monday recommended the suspension of acting police chief Col. John Mawn Jr., a police spokesman said.

The ongoing internal investigation relates to comments Proctor made during the investigation into the death of O’Keefe, the boyfriend of Karen Read. Read has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and leaving a crime scene involving personal injury and death.

During Read’s trial, Proctor admitted that he had sent text messages to family, friends and fellow officers berating Read and calling him vulgar insults, including “crazy bitch,” and that he had texted his sister saying he wished Read would “kill herself.” On the witness stand, he apologized for some of his comments, saying that “emotions got the better of me.” He insisted that the comments, while “unprofessional and regrettable,” had not affected the integrity of the investigation.

The case ended in a mistrial last week, after which the Massachusetts Police Department “immediately took action to relieve (Proctor) of his duties,” Mawn said in a statement. “Our focus remains on providing police services at the highest level with professionalism and integrity.”

Before Monday’s status hearing, Proctor had been transferred from the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Criminal Unit. His police vehicle and gun had been taken away, but he was still considered a member of the department and collecting his paycheck.

In a statement to GBH News last week, State Police Association President Brian Williams said the union “does not condone the language used in the text messages” and that the disciplinary action against Proctor “was taken because of the trooper’s private text message exchange, which was made public during the trial. We also believe this is unrelated to the salacious allegations of cover-ups, collusion or conspiracy made by the defense.”

Speaking on behalf of the association’s 2,000 members, Williams stressed the union’s sympathy for the O’Keefe family. “The loss they have suffered is immense,” Williams wrote. “We remain hopeful that justice will be served and the family will receive the closure they deserve.”

As for the case against Read, Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone has scheduled a status hearing for July 22. Read’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss two counts on Monday, claiming the jury was prepared to acquit her of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a crime causing bodily injury and death, NBC10 reported.

Tori Bedford

GBH News

About 60 Karen Read supporters protested outside the Massachusetts State Police South Boston Barracks on Monday afternoon, holding signs reading “Fire Proctor” and similar messages, alongside signs reading “Free Karen Read” and “Justice 4 Officer O’Keefe.” Organizer Paul Cristoforo said they wanted to make their voices heard in Proctor’s “home base” while the investigation into Proctor is ongoing.

“He is suspended without pay,” Cristoforo said. “There is a possibility he could be reinstated, or he could be fired.”

Protester Richard Peterson grew up in Canton and moved back there 10 years ago. He said he wasn’t particularly involved in the community before, but the Read case mobilized him and many others.

“It’s disturbing to live in this city, to walk past a police car and feel like you have to take three showers,” he said. “It’s not a nice feeling at all.”

Protesters said they want to see not only what happens to Proctor as a result of the internal investigation, but also broader changes within the state police.

“It was eye-opening to see and experience the prevailing mentality that obviously allowed these things to happen … just the culture of looking the other way, of sweeping it under the rug,” Peterson said, adding that Proctor’s actions may simply have been “comfortable with the culture.”

“I keep telling people that we are not against the police. We are not. We are just against corrupt police officers,” Cristoforo explained. “Every company has good and bad employees. The state police also have some bad employees and they have to learn how to deal with them.”