Trooper Michael Proctor, lead investigator in Karen Read case, faces state police trial board for third day
After three days, Trooper Michael Proctor's disciplinary hearing with the Massachusetts State Police trial board has ended. He faces allegations of misconduct while he worked as the lead investigator in the Karen Read case.
Proctor, who is a veteran trooper, was relieved of duty hours after Read's first trial ended with a hung jury in July 2024. He was suspended without pay weeks later. Read's second trial is scheduled to get underway with jury selection on April 1.
The trial board hearing at Massachusetts State Police headquarters in Framingham began January 15, continued February 10 and concluded on Thursday. The proceedings were not open to the public.
The panel of three commissioned officers will now deliberate. Massachusetts State Police said on Thursday that no further updates are available.
Read is accused of hitting and killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the cold outside a Canton home. Read has pleaded not guilty in the case, and claims she is being framed as part of a coverup involving several people, including law enforcement.
Family says Proctor has been "defamed"
Proctor's family released a statement Thursday, accusing Read's defense team of using the trooper to "deflect from the overwhelming evidence."
"After exhaustive investigations at both the state and federal level, and a grand jury, only one person has been charged with a crime, the defendant Karen Read," Elizabeth Proctor, his wife, said.
In a statement, Trooper Proctor's family says he has been "defamed, maligned, and falsely labeled corrupt by the alleged murderer, her family, her defense team, and a mob of her followers."
"At the end of the day, a beloved police officer and honorable man was killed. The Prosecution believes it's an open and shut case, and the defense knows this, too. So, their tactic is to put my husband, the lead investigator, on trial for sending texts on his personal phone to his friends and family," said Proctor's wife, Elizabeth Proctor. "The Karen Read defense team is unabashedly creating false narratives and distracting the public and potential jurors from clear-cut evidence."
What is Trooper Michael Proctor accused of?
Proctor is facing potential discipline for several reasons. The federal investigation into the handling of Read's case, an investigation prosecutors recently said in court has concluded with no charges, revealed text messages Proctor sent on his personal cellphone to friends, family, and colleagues about Read.
In one message, Proctor wrote that "hopefully she kills herself." In another, he called Read a "whackjob [expletive]." Proctor was asked about the messages while on the stand and called them "regrettable."
Another item that could lead to discipline came while working the case when Proctor and Canton Police Officer Kevin Albert were allegedly drinking together. Albert sent text messages a day later saying that he left his gun and badge in Proctor's cruiser.
The home where O'Keefe's body was found in the snow was owned at the time by Brian Albert, Kevin Albert's brother. Read's defense team has attempted to argue that Brian Albert is one of the men who could have played a part in O'Keefe's death and subsequent coverup.
What could happen to Trooper Proctor?
WBZ-TV legal analyst Katherine Loftus said she wouldn't be surprised if Proctor's professional fate wasn't determined until after Read's second trial is over.
"I think he's likely to be found responsible for at least some of the charges against him," Loftus said. "If he were to be found responsible prior to the hearing, then he could likely be questioned on that. I'm not surprised that the decision on his disciplinary proceedings will likely come after the trial is over and after he's off the stand."
If Proctor is terminated, any sworn officer can appeal to the Civil Service Commission. Anything regarding his pension would be up to the state retirement board.
