FRAMINGHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - The family of Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor is speaking out as he faces a trial board for his actions as lead investigator of the Karen Read case.
Thursday marked the third disciplinary hearing for Proctor at the Framingham state police headquarters, where he answered questions from the Massachusetts State Police trial board. The questioning ended Thursday.
Disturbing text messages Proctor sent about Read were uncovered during testimony in last year’s trial. He called them “regrettable.”
Within hours of the first trial being declared a mistrial, Proctor was relieved of duty and transferred out of the detective unit assigned to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office. He was also suspended without pay.
Proctor’s family sent a statement to 7NEWS Thursday via a public relations firm. They spoke out in support of Proctor in the statement.
“Michael — and so many others in his line of work — see horrible things every day and may at times need to vent personally. He saw a fellow officer die a horrible, tragic death. Who among us has not said something regrettable in moments of stress, shock, or sadness? And how would you feel if the contents of your personal phone were questionably released to the public without full context?” said Proctor’s sister Courtney.
Read is accused of hitting and killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, in 2022.
Read’s defense team claims she is innocent and has been framed by the police. Her defense attorneys say O’Keefe died in a fight at another officer’s Canton home.
Proctor’s text messages have been regarded as vulgar and unprofessional, but there was no indication in them that he was planting evidence or covering up a crime.
“The Karen Read defense team is unabashedly creating false narratives and distracting the public and potential jurors from clear-cut evidence,” said Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s office did not comment on whether Proctor will testify in Read’s retrial. Judge Beverly Cannone has a gag order in effect.
The findings of the State Police trial board will be forwarded to the colonel of the Massachusetts State Police for possible disciplinary action.
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