CANTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Canton police detective was put on paid administrative leave last month in connection with State Police Trooper Michael Proctor’s much-discussed testimony in the Karen Read murder trial, officials confirmed.
Speaking at a Select Board meeting Tuesday night, Canton Select Board Chair Michael Loughran said Police Chief Helena Rafferty placed Kevin Albert on leave on June 13, just one day after Proctor testified.
Loughran said Canton hired an independent investigator to probe Albert’s actions and said he will remain on leave pending the results of the investigation.
Read is accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her SUV and leaving him to die outside the home of Brian and Nicole Albert in January 2022.
Her defense has claimed she is being framed, alleging a wide-ranging cover-up involving Proctor and other law enforcement personnel.
Kevin Albert is the brother of Brian Albert and came up in testimony on June 12 when defense attorney Alan Jackson questioned Proctor about a night he spent drinking with Kevin.
“You texted Kevin Albert, ‘Found your badge in my cruiser this morning.’ Correct?” Jackson said.
“Yes,” Proctor confirmed.
“Then you texted him, ‘I can leave it in my locker at the gym, drop it off at your station, or leave it in my mailbox.’ Correct?” said Jackson.
“Correct,” Proctor replied.
“Kevin Albert responds, ‘My mailbox. Did I take my gun?’ And then included a wince face emoji. Correct?” Jackson asked.
Proctor confirmed the text.
“So, the fact of the matter is you two got so drunk that he couldn’t find his badge and had to ask you the next morning where his gun was,” Jackson said.
Beyond his interactions with Kevin Albert, Proctor also drew criticism for vulgar text messages about Read while he served as the lead investigator examining O’Keefe’s death.
Read’s closely-watched trial ended without a verdict on Monday of last week. Within hours of the mistrial declaration, State Police Interim Superintendent Col. John Mawn said he had relived Proctor of duty and confirmed an ongoing internal affairs investigation into Proctor. Gov. Maura Healey condemned Proctor’s comments.
Proctor faced a duty status hearing on Monday of this week and was suspended without pay. Following his suspension, Proctor could be reinstated or terminated, depending on the result of the internal affairs investigation.
Proctor’s duty status hearing was closed to the public.
But Brian Williams, the president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts, issued a statement Tuesday saying, in part, “The decision to suspend him without pay pending the outcome of the investigation is disappointing because it shifts Trooper Proctor’s punishment to his young family.”
Williams said officials should have imposed an alternative suspension that did not affect Proctor’s children’s medical coverage through their father’s health insurance.
“As these matters continue to evolve, we thank our members who serve dutifully and with distinction,” he said.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office quickly announced plans to re-try Read following Judge Beverly Cannone’s mistrial declaration.
Read’s defense team has vowed to continue fighting allegations against Read and on Monday filed a motion to dismiss two of her three charges.
Cannone had not ruled on the defense motion as of Wednesday morning.
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