The State Trooper Involved in the Karen Read Trial Is Facing Some Serious Consequences

Comedian George Carlin was a man of many words, most of which were deeply funny, politically poignant, and culturally significant. When looking for a clever response to a societal problem, he was the comic most people turned to. He once talked about losing one's job from a place of taking responsibility for your part. George said, "Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit."

Something tells us that's not what happened to Michael Proctor, the state trooper involved in the Karen Read murder trial. After a mistrial was declared on July 1, 2024, Proctor was immediately relieved of his duties. Was the former law enforcement officer working just hard enough to stay employed, or was there something rotten in Denmark? Here's what we know.

During the course of the trial, it was revealed that Proctor sent insulting and inappropriate text messages about Read to his high school friends mere hours after the body of John O'Keefe was found, reported NBC Boston. When one friend asked if Read was hot, Proctor called her a "whack-job" and a "c---." Proctor then confirmed that he thought Read was hot and commented on her "weird Fall River accent."

According to NBC News, Proctor joked to other state troopers about not finding any naked photos of Read while searching through her cell phone. He also "used an offensive term for developmentally disabled people while describing Read," said the outlet, and texted his sister days after O'Keefe died stating that he wished Read would take her own life.

Almost immediately after the deadlocked jury caused Read's trial to end in a mistrial, Col. John Mawn, interim superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, released a statement about Proctor's status. "Upon learning today's result, the Department took immediate action to relieve Trooper Michael Proctor of duty and formally transfer him out of the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office State Police Detective's Unit," he said.

Mawn also added, "This follows our previous decision to open an internal affairs investigation after information about serious misconduct emerged in testimony at the trial. This investigation is ongoing," per NBC Boston. Read's attorneys said, "Regarding Trooper Michael Proctor being relieved of duty, conduct has consequences." They then pointed out that the district attorney backed Proctor while the Commonwealth was letting him go.

"We look forward to another opportunity to reveal the truth about this unjust prosecution. Good luck," they said.