A Massachusetts State Police investigator who came under fire for sending inappropriate text messages about Karen Reed (including calling her a “freak”) was “relieved from duty” on Monday after a mistrial was declared in the case.
Officer Michael Proctor was officially transferred from the Norfolk County District Attorney’s State Police Criminal Division after prosecutors failed to secure a conviction for Reed, who was on trial for running over and killing Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe in January 2022.
State Police Colonel John Mohn It said in a statement The “immediate action” against Proctor comes after authorities have already launched an internal investigation into him over “serious misconduct” that emerged during his testimony at the Reed murder trial.
That investigation is still ongoing, Maung said.
Mr Proctor was forced to read derogatory statements in which he called Ms Reed, 44, a “freaky bastard” and a “retard”. He also called her an “assless bitch”.
“I hope she kills herself,” he wrote in another. According to WBZ News.
Judge Proctor accepted on the witness stand that the messages were “unprofessional” but argued the “childish” comments did not affect the integrity of the murder investigation.
When a reporter confronted the detective at his home on Monday after the jury could not agree on a verdict and a mistrial was declared, he expressed no remorse.
“Get off my lawn,” he yelled. NBC 10 reporter People questioned him from the street.
Reed was charged with second-degree murder, DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, and could face life in prison if convicted.
The prosecution argued that she became enraged, punched Mr O’Keefe to the ground and then fled, but the defence argued that she was the victim of a police trap set up to cover up the fact that the slain officer had been fatally assaulted by the officer’s friends.
The district attorney’s office said it plans to retry the case.
