MSP Soldier Michael Proctor’s Texts and Other Matters – NBC Boston

Monday’s testimony from Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor could impact not only Karen Read’s ongoing murder trial, but potentially his as well.

Experts say vulgar text messages sent by an investigator about Read could jeopardize Proctor’s credibility while testifying in other cases as well, including the ongoing Brian Walshe murder trial, in which he is the designated case officer – the same position Proctor takes up Read’s investigation.

Read denies the state’s allegations that she killed her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, in Canton in 20222, and her lawyers have outlined a large-scale law enforcement cover-up that they believe Proctor was part of. The prosecutor’s office denies any cover-up, calling the allegations “fantastic.”

In a text conversation with friends that the prosecutor ordered him to read from Monday, he called Read a “shithole” and a “c—,” made fun of her health condition and made disparaging comments about her butt. Proctor said his comments were “unprofessional and deplorable” but said they had “no bearing whatsoever on the facts, evidence and integrity of the investigation.”

Read’s defense suggested that Proctor and others had manipulated evidence in the case, and his testimony in the case was highly anticipated. The lead investigator’s credibility will be tested after he is questioned about text messages that made offensive comments about Karen Read. Follow NBC10 Boston on… Instagram: instagram.com/nbc10boston TikTok: tiktok.com/@nbc10boston Facebook: facebook.com/NBC10Boston X: twitter.com/NBC10Boston

In another text chain with colleagues, Proctor joked that when she looked through her phone, she couldn’t find nude photos of Read. Read’s defense attorney beat Proctor and is expected to continue doing so when the court delivers its verdict Wednesday on whether his text messages about the defendant reflected bias.

“I think the testimony probably had a disastrous impact on the government’s case,” said Massachusetts School of Law dean and NBC10 Boston legal analyst Michael Coyne. “The fact is that in this case it harms all law enforcement agencies.”

Former Massachusetts state trooper Todd McGhee explained Tuesday that the bombshell testimony could have an impact on other cases as well, saying it’s possible the situation could potentially put Proctor at risk of being placed on the so-called Brady List, referring to Supreme Court cases.

Watch the Karen Read trial live on nbcboston.com, NECN, NBC Boston’s streaming platforms (including Roku, Peacock and Samsung TV) and the NBC10 Boston YouTube page. Every night of the trial at 7 p.m., revisit analysis and more.

Email questions to [email protected].

The Brady Lists are typically used by prosecutors to determine whether they should find officers ineligible to testify in a lack of credibility case.

“When an officer is found to have been compromised, his integrity has been compromised and his name goes on the list,” McGhee said. “Once your name is on the Brady list, every time you testify in court, opposing counsel will question your veracity.

“You are actually of no use to the court given any investigative work you have done,” McGhee continued.

Proctor, who works in the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, is also the designated investigating officer in the Brian Walshe murder case.

Brian Walshe is accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, Ana Walshe, in their Cohasset home in early 2023. He has pleaded not guilty. The case is expected to be heard shortly after Read’s trial ends.

Shira Diner, an instructor at the Defender Clinic at Boston University, believes these changes may have an impact on Proctor’s involvement in the Walshe trial.

Legal analyst Michael Coyne, dean of the Massachusetts School of Law, says the state’s case against Karen Read could have suffered a fatal blow when Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case, took the stand.

“Due to the high-profile nature (of the Karen Read trial), it is well known,” Diner said. “I believe that before his trial begins, defense counsel will be in a very strong position to request internal affairs reports – the type of information about the potential discovery of bias that we typically find difficult to request.”

Diner added that the Commonwealth may try to avoid his presence as a witness in future cases “because there’s no way this case wouldn’t come up.”

“It will always be relevant,” Diner said. “The issue of prejudice is never an addition to anything. It’s kind of the basis of what we’re asking our jurors to do.”

That said, prosecutors can still try the case without calling Proctor, Diner said, calling other witnesses to piece together their testimony.

The Walshe case gained notoriety for a massive search for Ana, whose body was never found, and Google searches allegedly conducted by her husband for instructions on how to dispose of her body.

In the third episode of The Search for Ana Walshe, we hear from people who knew Brian Walshe, including Anna and a friend of the couple, who remember Brian crying after being scratched on the beach. Listen to the full episode featuring your podcasts.

A spokesman for the district attorney’s office said Tuesday that Proctor is the case officer in the Walshe case and that he is “one of many officers involved in the investigation.”

Both the office and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety declined to comment on Proctor’s testimony Tuesday. Massachusetts State Police also did not release a statement.

State Police confirmed in March that Proctor was under investigation for potential violations of department policy, but would not comment on why it was investigating one of its officers. However, sources told NBC10 Boston that the investigation is related to the Read case.

Proctor remains certified under the Massachusetts POST board as of May 31, the latest date available. The commission is offering a mandatory statewide certification system for all Bay State police officers.