Overview
- Karen Read filed a civil lawsuit in early June that quotes explicit racist, sexist and bigoted messages exchanged by former state trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton Sgt. Sean Goode and alleges that those messages influenced her prosecution.
- Most of the messages were obtained during an unrelated prosecution and by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and remain largely sealed under a federal protective order that limits public release.
- The Committee for Public Counsel Services has sent letters to the Massachusetts State Police and the Norfolk County District Attorney asking for a complete accounting of open and closed cases involving Proctor and Goode and for the agencies to identify other officers of concern.
- Norfolk County prosecutors say they have been disclosing potential exculpatory material from Proctor’s phone to defense attorneys and will continue to work with defense counsel while state and federal reviews proceed.
- Proctor was fired in March 2025 and had his law enforcement certification suspended by the state POST commission, Goode resigned after being placed on leave, and courts have rescheduled Proctor’s deposition in related civil litigation as internal, licensing and federal inquiries continue, a process that could force wide case reexaminations and strain local courts and public-defense resources.