In a case that has captured public attention, the lead investigator has come under scrutiny for sending offensive and inappropriate texts about the defendant, Karen Read, during the investigation.
Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, who testified on Monday and faces cross-examination on Wednesday, admitted to the jury that he used derogatory terms like “wack job” when referring to Karen Read in texts to friends, family, and fellow troopers.
He also trivialized a medical condition she had and expressed his belief that she was responsible for John O’Keefe’s death.
This revelation comes during the seventh week of the trial for Read, who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the January 2022 death of O’Keefe.
Prosecutors claim that Read dropped O’Keefe off at another officer’s home after a night of drinking and fatally struck him while attempting a three-point turn before leaving the scene. However, her defense team argues that she has been framed.
During his testimony on Monday, Proctor repeatedly apologized for the language used in the text messages, acknowledging that they were “unprofessional and regrettable comments that I am not proud of and should not have written in private or any type of setting.”