Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator within the Karen Learn homicide case, has been relieved of obligation efficient instantly.
Learn, 44, of Mansfield, is charged with second-degree homicide, leaving the scene of an accident leading to dying, and manslaughter whereas working a motorized vehicle beneath the affect, which included lesser subordinate expenses, associated to the Jan. 29, 2022, dying of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe.
The jury couldn’t attain a verdict and a mistrial was declared Monday.
“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,” an MSP spokesperson wrote in a Monday evening assertion. “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.”
Proctor will probably be transferred from the DA’s detective unit efficient Sunday. Proctor is topic to an obligation standing listening to and can stay employed by the division till that listening to completes, in keeping with company spokesman Tim McGuirk.
“Although Trooper Proctor is still employed by the Department, the decision to relieve him of duty means that he can no longer work cases or function as a trooper during this time,” McGuirk mentioned.
Proctor was positioned beneath inside evaluation in March as a federal probe hung over the investigation he and different troopers in his detective unit carried out concerning O’Keefe’s murder.
Proctor testified within the trial over two days: June 10 and June 12. Throughout that point, plenty of private textual content messages he despatched have been revealed wherein he joked about trying to find nudes of Learn’s telephone, known as her each a “babe” and a “whack job,” made specific enjoyable of her gastrointestinal well being points and finally mentioned that he hopes she kills herself.
“Following the mistrial in Commonwealth v. Karen Read, the Massachusetts State Police would like to offer our condolences again to the family of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe,” MSP Col. John Mawn wrote within the assertion.
“We cannot imagine the way in which this result has heightened the O’Keefe family’s immeasurable grief, heartache, and sense of loss,” Mawn continued. “John lived a life of honorable service — both to the City of Boston and the children entrusted to his care after the unexpected death of his sister and brother-in-law. We will remember him.”
“Our focus remains on delivering the highest level of police services with professionalism and integrity,” Mawn continued.
Kayla Bartkowski/Pool
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor opens the proof field throughout the Karen Learn homicide trial at Norfolk Superior Court docket. (Kayla Bartkowski/Pool)
