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

A Massachusetts State Police panel on Monday recommended that the disgraced lead investigator in the Karen Read murder case, Trooper Michael Proctor, be suspended without pay while an internal investigation into his “unprofessional” conduct following the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe continues.

Acting Massachusetts State Police Colonel John Mawn followed the three-member panel’s recommendation following a status of duty hearing in Framingham and made Proctor’s suspension effective immediately.

Dozens of people gathered outside the Massachusetts State Police barracks in South Boston on Monday to celebrate the news that State Trooper Michael Proctor was suspended without pay.

“It was a step in the right direction, but we are still a long way from our goal,” said Paul Cristoforo, a supporter of Karen Read.

“Today was just the icing on the cake, but the best thing will be when he is actually fired as a public servant,” said another Karen Read supporter, Cathy Carney.

Mawn relieved Proctor of his duties after Judge Beverly Cannone declared the two-month murder trial void due to a jury deadlock. Proctor was subsequently transferred from the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Division. He was administratively assigned to H Troop in the field, but remains ineligible for work.

“They wouldn’t have done this if they didn’t really think he had done something outrageous,” said Peter Elikann, a legal expert at Boston 25 News.

Proctor had come under fire for a series of derogatory text messages about Read, which he sent to friends, family and superiors and read aloud in court during the trial.

Proctor admitted on the witness stand that the text messages were “unprofessional” and apologized several times. He told the jury that his text messages had no bearing on his investigation into the death of John O’Keefe, Read’s friend, a Boston police officer.

In these texts, Proctor commented on Read’s physical appearance, used vulgar language, indicated that he had decided on Read’s guilt based on the evidence, and said he wished Read would commit suicide.

After completing the internal investigation, the department said it might file charges against Proctor, which would then be decided by a state police court.

Article 6 – Rules governing disciplinary proceedings and temporary suspension from Boston 25 Desk on Scribd

State police noted that every internal investigation culminates in a report addressing each and every allegation that is determined to be unfounded, refuted, not sustained or sustained.

Read is accused of killing O’Keefe by hitting him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm in Canton in January 2022.

Prosecutors said Read and O’Keefe had been drinking heavily before she dropped him off at a party at her co-worker Brian Albert’s house. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.

The defense attempted to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed in Albert’s house and then dragged outside and left to die.

At this time, the Norfolk County District Attorney is still planning to retry Karen Read after her case ended in a mistrial last week.

So what impact could Proctor’s suspension have on the next trial?

“There is no getting around the fact that by the time the case is reopened he may well have already been released or that he may be facing certain allegations based on his conduct during the investigation. So there is a consensus that he will be cast in a bad light if he has to testify again,” Elikann said.

RELATED:

According to the defense, the jury agreed to acquit Karen Read of the murder charge

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates as more information becomes available.

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