Michael Proctor, lead investigator in Karen Read case, continues appeal of his firing

The Massachusetts State Police trooper who was fired over his handling of the Karen Read study is continuing his efforts to get his job back Former Trooper Michael Proctor was dishonorably discharged from the MSP in March after the agency s trial board identified him guilty of multiple violations of the organization s Code of Conduct All but one of the violations had to do with the study into the death of Boston Police Officer John O Keefe in Canton for which his girlfriend Read was charged with second-degree murder Proctor through his attorney vowed to appeal the firing at the time A virtual hearing before the state Civil Organization Commission this week brought him one step further on his appeals process He was a stellar trooper for years without a blemish on his record Proctor s attorney Daniel Moynihan communicated the Herald Wednesday And I believe it s been established that the examination at least on his part was not compromised in any way Moynihan disclosed he didn t want to get into too much detail about the incident as he doesn t want to reveal any of his strategies before employing them in hearings But he disclosed the road ahead is one of preparation seeking evidence from the State Police thoroughly reviewing that evidence and gearing up for the next hearing scheduled for Aug at a m in person before the Civil Amenity Commission at Cambridge St in Boston Proctor s firing Read went through two trials and was acquitted at the conclusion of the second trial last month on all but drunken driving the least of the charges jurors were to consider Proctor was the situation officer of the inspection meaning he managed it and he was fired between the two trials The Trial Board exposed that Proctor while assigned as the lead investigator in a homicide examination sent inappropriate text messages about a suspect shared sensitive details about the scrutiny to non-law enforcement and brought himself and the MSP into disrepute by his conduct A fourth finding was that he drank alcohol while eating dinner on duty and drove his cruiser buzzed At the time of Proctor s firing on March Moynihan mentioned Proctor has never denied that he sent derogatory and vulgar text messages in private conversations with personal friends He does deny however that his probe in this development was compromised in any way which Moynihan mentioned was supported by testimony at the Trial Board Moynihan s declaration continued We look forward to the appeal of the Department s decision in a forum where Michael Proctor will receive actual due process in a fair and impartial hearing