Supervisor in Karen Read case loses paid leave for failing to discipline investigators
BOSTON - Detective Lieutenant Brian Tully, one of Michael Proctor's supervisors, will lose six days of accrued time for failing to supervise Proctor and others who were involved with inappropriate text messages regarding the Karen Read investigation, the I-Team has learned.
Disciplinary action against Tully
As part of a Massachusetts State Police intern investigation, Tully, who testified at the trial, was found to have failed to supervise members of the State Police Detective Unit of the Norfolk District Attorney's office. Tully was also found to have failed to recommend disciplinary action and instead gave praise on employee evaluations - despite evidence to the contrary - instead of documenting negative performance.
Tully, the unit commander, was transferred out of the Norfolk District Attorney's Office after an initial review by Colonel Geoffrey Noble, who was hired by Governor Maura Healey on September 4 to head the Massachusetts State Police. Tully was transferred to a temporary assignment in the Division of Investigative Services.
Who is Michael Proctor?
Proctor was the lead investigator on the Karen Read case. He was suspended from duty for inappropriate text messages he sent during the investigation. During Read's murder trial, Proctor testified about derogatory text messages he sent about her, including one in which he said, "Hopefully she kills herself." He also sent a message to a supervisor while searching Read's phone as part of the investigation: "No nudes so far."
Proctor's messages were revealed as part of the federal investigation into the handling of the Read case. There is also a state police internal investigation.
Karen Read investigation
Karen Read is accused of hitting and killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV in January 2022 and leaving him to die in a snowstorm in Canton. She's been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of bodily injury or death. Her case ended in a mistrial and a new trial date of January 27, 2025 has been set. However, the judge in the case is considering requests to delay the trial.
Earlier this month, Read's attorneys argued before the Supreme Court in an attempt to get the charges of murder and leaving the scene against her dismissed.
