How will Karen Read's mistrial impact investigations into Michael Proctor, "TurtleBoy" and others?
CANTON - The Karen Read murder trial was declared a mistrial on Monday, but there are still three other investigations that are tied to the case.
State Trooper Michael Proctor
State Trooper Michael Proctor, who was the lead investigator in the case, is being investigated internally. Proctor admitted on the stand that he sent inappropriate texts about Read during his investigation. He was "relieved of duty" by state police on Monday night and can't currently work as a state trooper. He is still undergoing an internal investigation.
It is unknown if his leave was because of this specific case, but his conduct may influence whether or not he will be called to testify again if they retry Read and in other cases in Norfolk County.
Blogger "TurtleBoy"
There's also a case against blogger Aiden Kearney, otherwise known as "TurtleBoy." He has been advocating for Read's case, and in October 2023, he was arrested for witness intimidation.
He is accused of harassing some of the witnesses in the case, and he was not allowed in the courtroom while they testified.
Possible federal investigation
There is also a possible federal investigation into Karen Read's case. The U.S. Attorney's office has not confirmed that they are investigating the case or what it is focusing on, but the prosecution and defense have both mentioned it in court.
Legal experts say that if a grand jury is called for the federal case, they cannot sit for more than 18 months. It is possible that a federal investigation could conclude before Read's new trial begins. It could influence the second trial and law enforcement agencies involved.
