Trooper Michael Proctor "relieved of duty" after Karen Read mistrial

CANTON - Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the Karen Read case, was "relieved of duty" Monday, hours after a mistrial was declared in Norfolk Superior Court.

Who is Michael Proctor?

Proctor has been with the state police for about 10 years. He can no longer perform the duties of a state trooper.

On the witness stand during the trial, Proctor admitted sending inappropriate and offensive text messages about Read during the investigation. He was forced to read those texts to the jury in court.

Read's attorneys accused Proctor of covering for witnesses who are also his friends and planting evidence. He says he is not guilty of any wrongdoing. The defense has also questioned the relationship Proctor and his wife had with Canton Selectman Christopher Albert and his wife. Christopher Albert is the brother of retired Boston police officer Brian Albert, who owned the home where John O'Keefe's body was found in January 2022. Investigators say Read ran over O'Keefe with her SUV after dropping him off at the home in a snowstorm and left him to die.

Proctor has denied all allegations of bias and wrongdoing. He will be transferred out of the District Attorney's Office detective unit on Sunday, July 7, following the state police collective bargaining agreement, which requires a five-day notice for new job assignments.

State police said the decision is separate from an ongoing internal investigation into the entire Read case. Proctor has been placed on leave, which means while he is technically on the force and being paid, he is not allowed to function as a state trooper.  He is still technically a trooper until his disciplinary hearing.

That hearing can end in one of four ways:

• He gets his job back.
• He could be suspended with pay.
• He could be suspended without pay.
• He could receive restricted duties.

Proctor cannot be fired as a result of the hearing. It's the first step in the process that could lead to his eventual termination from the force.

A date for the hearing has not been scheduled yet.

Michael Proctor's texts

Proctor testified for the prosecution during the trial.

"These juvenile, unprofessional comments have zero impact on the facts and the evidence and the integrity of this investigation," Proctor told the court.

One message sent to his wife said, "waiting to lock whackjob up," referring to Read. Another to his bosses while he went through Read's phone said, "No nudes so far." He also texted his sister, "hopefully she kills herself," in another reference to Read.

Governor Maura Healey said she was "disgusted" by the text messages and said Proctor's actions could damage police work across Massachusetts.

Karen Read's attorney

Read's attorney, Alan Jackson, released this statement late Monday night after Proctor was relieved of duty:

"Conduct has consequences. DA Morrissey backed this misogynist, corrupt cop. And two hours after he announced he will pursue a second trial against an innocent woman, Karen Read, the MSP announced that Michael Proctor-the lead investigator for the Commonwealth-has been relieved of duty because of "serious misconduct that emerged in testimony at the trial." We look forward to another opportunity to reveal the truth about this unjust prosecution. Good luck."