Massachusetts Woman Files Lawsuit Alleging Investigation Misconduct

Karen Read, a Massachusetts woman previously acquitted of killing her police officer boyfriend, explained her decision to file a lawsuit alleging misconduct and negligence in the investigation that led to her prosecution. “This was always our plan, that I had to save my own life first,” Read said during an appearance on “TODAY.” Flanked by her attorneys, she emphasized the need to continue fighting for justice, noting that although she was acquitted, the wrongs are not yet fully addressed.

Read filed the lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton, claiming that misconduct and negligence played a role in her prosecution in the 2022 death of John O’Keefe, her boyfriend and a Boston police officer. Her attorneys argue that the agencies involved in the investigation harbored a culture of bigotry and misogyny, leading to systemic failures.

The lawsuit follows a second trial where Read was acquitted of charges including second-degree murder and motor vehicle manslaughter. She was found guilty of operating under the influence of liquor. Her first trial ended in a hung jury.

Read’s lawyer, Alan Jackson, stated the lawsuit aims to expose the biases and corruption within the Massachusetts law enforcement system. “The law speaks in dollars, but that’s not the ultimate goal,” Jackson explained. “What Karen wants, you cannot write on a check, which is exposure of the corruption that is the DNA of the Massachusetts State Police and the Canton Police Department.” The lawsuit highlights derogatory text messages exchanged among officers involved in the investigation.

Canton officials rejected these claims, asserting efforts to improve police practices. The Massachusetts State Police superintendent, Col. Geoffrey Noble, deemed the text messages as inconsistent with the standards expected of troopers.

John O’Keefe was found dead outside the home of a fellow officer in January 2022. The medical examiner ruled his death as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, with hypothermia as a contributing factor. Prosecutors alleged Read was intoxicated and hit O’Keefe with her SUV out of anger, but Read denied such claims. Evidence presented included vehicle data and expert testimony.

Read’s defense suggested others, including Brian Albert, the retired police sergeant hosting the gathering, were responsible for O’Keefe’s death and blamed a biased investigation for the charges against her. Though they were restricted from naming suspects in the second trial, Read filed a lawsuit afterward, accusing certain individuals of covering up the incident, while Albert’s attorneys called the claims defamatory.

The lawsuits from both sides are ongoing. Read also accused the former state trooper leading the investigation, Michael Proctor, of bias, showing his derogatory texts and sharing of investigative details with others. Proctor was discharged after the first trial.

Since the trials, Read focuses on her legal battles rather than work, continuing to seek justice for O’Keefe, whom she described as “easy-going and kind of shy.” “He’s the reason we are doing this,” she affirmed.