Karen Read Lawsuit Reveals 2013-2024 Texts by 2 Former Officers, Deepening Bias Claims
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 4
Karen Read Lawsuit Reveals 2013-2024 Texts by 2 Former Officers, Deepening Bias Claims
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jun 4
Summary
Dozens of texts disclosed in Karen Read’s lawsuit show former Massachusetts State Police investigator Michael Proctor and former Canton sergeant Sean Goode using racial slurs, sexist language and other abusive remarks over years.
The messages surfaced after a court let Read’s lawyers use data from Proctor’s phone—preserved in her murder case—in planned civil litigation against Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police.
The complaint says the two officers discussed violence against Black people, made antisemitic and anti-Asian remarks, insulted public officials including Michelle Wu and Maura Healey, and exchanged vulgar comments about women, including references to sex with sleeping women.
Goode resigned Tuesday during an internal investigation, while Proctor had already been fired in March 2025 after messages about Read emerged at her first trial.
Read argues both departments knew or should have known about the officers’ bias and kept investigators unfit for criminal cases; she is seeking a jury trial and damages to be set at trial.
After an investigator's decade of hateful texts, how many other criminal convictions could be in doubt?
With police misconduct costing taxpayers millions, can departments afford to ignore a culture of bigotry?
The Karen Read Case: Ongoing Civil Suits, Law Enforcement Scandal, and the Erosion of Public Trust
Overview
The Karen Read case, after her acquittal on murder charges but conviction for drunken driving, has led to a complex legal aftermath with multiple civil lawsuits. These ongoing battles include allegations of framing, wrongful death claims, and defamation suits, all of which have deeply affected the reputations and careers of those involved. Karen Read is pursuing a federal civil lawsuit, claiming others were responsible for the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe and that a cover-up took place. Her complaint specifically names several law enforcement officials, highlighting the far-reaching impact and ongoing controversy surrounding the case.