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DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - State Police Trooper Michael Proctor on Monday said text messages about Karen Read were “unprofessional” and “regrettable” but did not detract from the integrity of the investigation into the death of Read’s boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
More than a month into Read’s trial, Proctor took the witness stand as one of the most highly-anticipated witnesses to date.
He was soon forced to read his own texts to friends and family members about Read, including several vulgar descriptions of Read.
“From all accounts, he didn’t do anything wrong,” Proctor said in one message. “She’s a whack job.”
Read, 44, of Mansfield, is facing charges including second degree murder after prosecutors said she hit O’Keefe with her SUV and left him to die after dropping him off outside the Canton home of Brian and Nicole Albert on Jan. 29, 2022.
Read’s defense has said she is being framed, saying O’Keefe was actually beaten to death and attacked by a dog during a party inside the Albert home.
Read’s attorneys claim police covered up details and planted evidence to implicate Read in the case. The defense has pointed to Proctor as a key player in the alleged cover-up and raised questions about his handling of evidence.
“Yeah, she’s a babe,” Proctor said in one text to friends. “Weird Fall River accent though.”
As Proctor and Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally went through the text messages, including one where Proctor joked about not finding nude photos on Read’s phone, some jurors appeared visibly bothered.
“[They were] unprofessional messages I should not have sent,” Proctor said. “I don’t have an explanation other than they’re regrettable and something I’m not proud of.”
Proctor served as the lead investigator in the Read case.
He testified his sister is friendly with the Albert family and said he disclosed that fact to his superiors.
“It had absolutely zero impact on this investigation,” Proctor said.
Beyond the text messages, Proctor showed jurors the tail light from Read’s SUV.
Read’s defense claims Proctor broke the tail light to frame Read.
But Proctor testified it was already broken when he went to speak with Read after he saw O’Keefe’s body at the hospital.
Last week, the prosecution played video of Read’s SUV at the Canton police station surrounded by investigators. The video appeared to show the driver’s side of the car. But the video actually showed the passenger side because the video was inverted.
When the defense pointed the inversion out, they argued the video shows Proctor lingering near the tail light in question.
“Sgt. Bukhenick and I never touched any part of that vehicle,” Proctor said.
Proctor is currently the subject of a state police internal affairs investigation.
He was the third witness to testify on Monday, following his supervisor, Sgt. Yuriy Bukhenick
and Dighton police Sgt. Nicholas Barros.
There were no court proceedings scheduled for Tuesday. Proctor is scheduled to return to the stand on Wednesday.
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