DEDHAM, Mass. -- Karen Read and her legal team are escalating their fight in court, filing a new lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and the Canton Police Department, alleging the investigation into the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe was “biased and corrupt” and led to her wrongful prosecution over three years.
The civil suit specifically names fired Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor and newly resigned Canton Police Officer Sean Goode, accusing both men of misconduct and describing them as “misogynist bigots.”
The lawsuit does not specify the amount of damages Read is seeking.
At the center of the case are a series of offensive text messages obtained by investigators. Some of those messages, which are not directly tied to the Read case, include racist, misogynistic, and antisemitic language. In one exchange, Proctor allegedly made hateful remarks, while in another, he referenced delaying response to an incident involving a racial slur.
In one instance, Proctor allegedly wrote, “America sucks. Hitler was really onto something, then [expletive] US had to step in and ruin it.” In another message to Goode about a crash in Canton, Proctor allegedly wrote, “Actually, take your time. I saw that a [racial slur] was involved, so I wouldn’t rush if you’re working. Let them die.”
Legal analyst and Boston attorney Margot Lindauer says the messages could play a key role in how the case unfolds.
“As a human, and a citizen of Massachusetts...It’s deeply concerning,” Lindauer said. “These are police officers whom we entrust with our safety, everyone’s safety.”
Lindauer described these text messages as “objectively terrible.” She expressed being “offended” and ”confused” by the “racist, misogynist, anti-Semitic” statements used in conversation by the police officers.
“It’s so clear that this person was not treating everyone the same, and in fact had some deep hatred for certain people,” Lindauer added.
Read’s legal team is expected to argue the messages show the officers lacked professionalism and credibility, potentially impacting the integrity of the investigation.
However, Proctor’s attorney has pushed back, arguing the texts were sent years before O’Keefe’s death and have “no bearing whatsoever” on the investigation into Read.
0 of 10
The lawsuit sets up a legal battle over whether those past messages can be considered relevant evidence. A judge will ultimately decide whether they factor into the case.
Legal experts say the outcome could hinge on that decision, as well as the difference between public perception and the legal standard in court. Unlike a criminal case, this civil lawsuit carries a lower burden of proof.
Proctor, who served as the lead investigator in the Read murder case, was fired from his role within the state police in March 2025. He was relieved of his duty without pay after a mistrial was declared in Read’s first trial, and his last day with the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office followed soon thereafter.
Proctor came under fire for a series of disparaging texts he sent about Read, which he read aloud in court during her first trial. Proctor admitted on the stand that the texts were “unprofessional.” He called Read things like a “whack job” and other derogatory words. He also talked about her medical issues and wrote, “No nudes so far,” while going through her phone.
Goode, who responded to the scene of O’Keefe’s death, submitted his resignation from the Canton Police Department this week. He also testified during Read’s first trial. He was suspended from the department in October 2025and placed on leave shortly after investigators uncovered additional “troubling” text messages on the phone of fired Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor.
Read, 46, was previously charged with second-degree murder after prosecutors alleged she backed over O’Keefe with her SUV and left him for dead during a snowstorm in Canton in January 2022. She was ultimately acquitted in June 2025 after a mistrial was declared in her first trial the year prior.
In a statement, Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble called the lawsuit “disturbing,” noting the “racist, sexist, and abhorrent comments absolutely do not reflect the values of the Massachusetts State Police.” The Town of Canton declined to comment on the lawsuit, expressing the “utmost” faith in the new leader of the police department.
Read currently faces a wrongful death civil lawsuit filed by John O’Keefe’s family. She has also filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against multiple people who testified against her in her two murder trials.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
