BOSTON – Massachusetts State Trooper Michael ProctorThe lead investigator in the Karen Read case has been transferred to a field unit in South Boston, sources told the WBZ-TV I-Team.
Michael Proctor
The move is a formality, as he will not perform any work until he has a disciplinary hearing, which could ultimately lead to his official dismissal. Proctor was relieved of his duties Monday, shortly after Read’s trial was thrown out because the jury could not reach a verdict.
Proctor allowed he sent several derogatory texts about Read during the investigation. He was ordered to read them out loud on the witness stand during the trial.
Will Karen Read be retried?
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office wants to retry Read, but will Proctor testify again?
“I can’t imagine the government would want him to testify again,” Boston College law professor Jeff Cohen told WBZ.
Cohen said Proctor may testify in principle, but that he probably won’t.
“If I were a betting man, I would say that Officer Proctor will be a missing piece in the second trial. The government may decide that some witnesses that they thought were going to be very useful were not so useful at all. They can avoid them,” Cohen said.
Karen Read jury
A new trial could begin as early as later this year. But with the attention on this case, how can the court find another impartial jury?
“We have found juries for White Bulger And Donald Trump“And so when we’re looking for a jury, we’re not just looking for someone who knows nothing about the case, but someone who can just be fair and impartial,” Cohen said.
At the urging of attorneys, the court could also order a jury from another county, rather than from Norfolk County again.
There are other ways a second trial of Karen Read could look different from the first.
“That’s an advantage to the government, they know what the cross-examinations are going to be. They know what the weaknesses of the witnesses are going to be,” Cohen said. “They can decide that there are, say, 10 witnesses that they just don’t need to call anymore.”
The state may also choose to file other charges.
Is Karen Read out on bail?
In the meantime, is Karen Read a free woman and what happens to her while she awaits a new trial?
“She’s just like any other suspect at this point, and she’s out on bail,” Cohen said.
Karen Read jury divided
Another important question we must consider is: what if the second trial of Karen Read also ends with a jury that cannot decide?
“In legal fantasyland, there’s no real limit to how many times you can try someone,” Cohen told WBZ.
It is highly unlikely that the state will ever try Karen Read three times. A status hearing to begin scheduling the next trial is scheduled for July 22 in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Kristina Rex
