Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead detective in the Karen Read murder case, has been relieved of his duties and is facing a department hearing following his conduct during the trial. Proctor, who is still a member of the department and is currently not actively working, will have a duty status hearing to determine his work status during the internal affairs investigation. His car, gun, and gear have been taken away as part of standard practice.
Proctor, who also worked as the lead investigator in John O’Keefe’s death, sent vulgar and demeaning texts about Read to his family, friends, and fellow troopers during the investigation. The mistrial in the case has led to Proctor’s fall from grace, and he has been transferred away from the district attorney’s office to Troop H while relieved of duty.
The trooper’s fate with the department will be decided by an internal investigation and the state’s POST Commission, which handles police misconduct allegations. Proctor is also part of a federal probe looking into the handling of the case. Gov. Maura Healey stated that removing Proctor from his position was the right move, and the State Police Association of Massachusetts expressed that they do not condone the language used in Proctor’s text messages.
The incident is the latest in a series of scandals that have eroded public trust in the Massachusetts State Police, with some troopers being involved in bribery and overtime scandals. Interim Col. Jack Mawn emphasized the need for the department to work hard to engage with the public and regain trust. NBC10 Boston attempted to reach out to Proctor’s lawyer for comment but has not received a response.
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