Former Massachusetts State Police detective Michael Proctor has filed a formal response in federal court to a civil lawsuit brought by Karen Read. It’s Proctor’s most detailed accounting of his actions in the John O’Keefe murder investigation since he was fired from the State Police in March 2025.
In the 25-page filing submitted on January 16, 2026, Proctor denies allegations that he spearheaded a “corrupt and biased” investigation, while admitting to several controversial procedural decisions that have long been the focus of public scrutiny. Proctor’s defense asserts that Read’s complaint is not factually correct and should not move forward.
One of the most contentious elements of the case involves the physical evidence found at the scene, specifically pieces of a cracked taillight from Read’s Lexus. Read’s lawsuit alleges that Proctor and other investigators manipulated or even planted this evidence to frame her…