Photo: Massachusetts State Police
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The lead investigator in the Karen Read trial is still in the hot seat for texts he sent his family and friends regarding Read.
During the investigation, Proctor sent what he called “regrettable” messages while on the stand during Read's first trial. Proctor said he hoped that Read would take her own life and wrote that he found “no nudes” while reviewing the contents of her phone.
Before the suspended state trooper headed to his third hearing at the General Headquarters in Framingham, his family released a statement of support obtained by CBS News Boston.
“Michael — and so many others in his line of work — see horrible things every day and may at times need to vent personally,” his sister Courtney said. “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?”
“After exhaustive investigations at both the state and federal level, and a grand jury, only one person has been charged with a crime, the defendant Karen Read,” said Elizabeth Proctor, the trooper’s wife.”
A panel of three commissioned officers are now deliberating on Proctor’s fate. If found guilty, the panel could recommend to Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble that he be fired from the force or receive no punishment at all.
Read is accused of striking O’Keefe with her car and leaving him in the snow to die. She claims she is being framed. Her second trial is set to commence with jury selection on April 1 after her first trial ended in a mistrial.
WBZ NewsRadio's Brooke McCarthy (@BrookeWBZ) reports.
