Trooper Michael Proctor's future still in limbo as state police trial board schedules third day
FRAMINGHAM - The trial board which will determine whether Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor will keep or lose his job has scheduled a third hearing day on March 13.
For two full days, the trial board has heard evidence to determine Proctor's future. Proctor has been present at these hearings with counsel.
What Trooper Proctor is accused of
Proctor has been on paid administrative leave since last July after the Karen Read murder trial was declared a mistrial. The misconduct allegations against him stem from explosive testimony Proctor gave during the trial.
Proctor is accused of writing inappropriate texts on his personal phone about Karen Read while he was the chief investigator of John O'Keefe's murder and revealing investigative information to family and friends.
He is also accused of drinking and driving a state police cruiser. This allegation stems from testimony at the trial that revealed Proctor went out drinking with the brother of Canton police officer Brian Albert.
Once the trial board makes its determination, they will write a report and deliver it to the State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble, who has the ultimate sign off.
Will Trooper Proctor be fired?
Former state trooper Todd McGhee says that firing proctor may be an appropriate outcome.
"There's a lot of factors that Colonel Noble has to weigh," McGhee said. "I would think that termination would be in line with a proper disciplinary action."
But he doesn't expect a decision to come right away, as the brand new colonel of the state police considers not only Proctor's discipline but the message it sends.
"Colonel Noble, I believe, also is addressing issues that were given to him as a mandate by the governor to clean up the department," McGhee said.
Regardless of whether he stays a trooper, WBZ legal analyst Jennifer Roman says prosecutors are already distancing themselves from Proctor. In addition to the John O'Keefe murder investigation, Proctor investigated the killing of Cohasset woman Ana Walshe, for which her husband Brian is charged with first degree murder.
"They came out months ago saying they were not planning on calling him as part of their case in chief," Roman said.
