State Police Association releases statement after embattled trooper Michael Proctor is reassigned

DEDHAM, Mass. — The President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts says he’s backing the members of his union after Trooper Michael Proctor was relieved of his duties and then reassigned.

Proctor was the lead investigator for the Karen Read murder case and was chastised on the stand by the defense for private text messages about Read that he sent to his friends, family, and fellow troopers. This conduct ultimately led to disciplinary action, according to authorities.

In a lengthy statement released Tuesday afternoon, Brian Williams says he will “remain committed to representing the interests of our members and will continue advocating for an educated, highly trained, and diverse workforce to serve the Commonwealth with pride and distinction.”

Williams said while he doesn’t condone the language used in the text messages presented during the trial, the union is proud of the work its members do every day.

“This trial shined a bright light on our judicial process and the nuances of legal proceedings,” he said. “It also blurred the lines between fact and innuendo presented during the defense of the accused. It is our understanding that this discipline came as a result of the trooper’s private text message exchanges that were made public during the trial. We also understand that it has no relationship to salacious allegations of cover-ups, collusion or conspiracies offered by the defense.”

The Karen Read murder trial garnered national attention for allegations that Read was framed for the murder of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, in an elaborate coverup. The case ended in a mistrial, with a jury unable to come to a verdict.

The association said it is proud of the work law enforcement does each day across the state, and that Massachusetts’ homicide solve rate is the envy of the country.

Williams also offered his condolences to the O’Keefe family for the death of John.

“The loss they have suffered is immense,” he said. “We remain hopeful that justice will be served so the family receives the closure they deserve.”

Proctor has since been relieved of his duties at the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office and has been reassigned to Troop H.

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police says the MSP system requires he be assigned to a post, although he will not be a functioning member of the department and is still not eligible to work pending an ongoing internal investigation.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group