Lead investigator in Karen Read case suspended by Massachusetts State Police

The lead investigator in the Karen Read case has been suspended without pay by the state police.

State Trooper Michael Proctor had a closed-door disciplinary hearing Monday, days after he was removed from his post as a detective with the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office.

According to a state police spokesperson, the three-person panel recommended Proctor be suspended without pay. Interim State Police Colonel John Mawn accepted the board's recommendation, which went into effect immediately.

An internal affairs investigation into Proctor's conduct continues, according to the state police.

Monday's hearing followed his brutal testimony in the Read case, where crude and demeaning texts he sent about Read were read into the record. In the messages, Proctor called Read a "whack job," joked about a medical condition she has and said he wished Read would kill herself.

Read's defense attorneys also grilled him about his investigation.

Monday's hearing was conducted virtually, and like all duty status hearings, was not open to the public. According to a state police spokesperson, in any discipline process, a trooper is subject to a hearing which can result in either being retained on full duty, placed on restricted duty, suspended with pay or suspended without pay.

Read is charged with killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, by striking him with her SUV and leaving him for dead in the snow. Her defense attorneys say she was framed and highlighted shoddy police work in the case.

Last week, the judge declared a mistrial in the case after jurors said they could not come to a unanimous verdict. Hours later, Proctor was relieved of duty by the state police and moved to a desk job.