Karen Read lawsuit alleges history of disturbing texts between Michael Proctor, Sean Goode

The lawsuit filed Thursday by Karen Read against Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police revealed a long history of disturbing text messages between former police officers Michael Proctor and Sean Goode that allegedly included racial slurs, sexist comments and other offensive material.

Proctor was the lead investigator in Read's case. He was fired by the State Police in March 2025 in part due to messages he sent about Read that came to light during her first trial, including one where he said "Hopefully she kills herself."

Goode, a former Canton police sergeant, resigned Tuesday in the middle of an internal investigation related to the dozens of messages between him and Proctor that date back as far as 2013.

"Upon learning of the allegations, the Town promptly removed Sgt. Goode from the workplace, retained an independent investigator, and pursued appropriate personnel action based on the information available throughout the investigative process," the Town of Canton said in a statement. "The Town was required to conduct a full adjudicatory hearing before terminating Sgt. Goode. His resignation occurred before that hearing could take place."

The text messages were obtained as a part of the prosecution of Myles King in Dedham. Proctor's personal phone was preserved and searched as part of the murder trial. Proctor was the lead investigator for the case.

Proctor's phone had been under a protective order, but Read's attorneys intervened and asked for permission to use the information from his cellphone in future litigation against Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police.

On April 2 in a court filing, Read revealed that she planned a lawsuit and the court agreed that she could use the text messages.

Michael Proctor and Sean Goode text messages

According to Read's lawsuit, in one message, Proctor told Goode about a crash in Canton.

"Actually, take your time, I saw a [n----r] was involved, so I wouldn't rush if you're working. Let them die," Proctor allegedly wrote, the complaint stated.

"That lady was an absolute [c—t] rag [n---a] who had it in for [me] for some reason," Proctor allegedly wrote in another message, referring to a Boston Police Department employee who performed a background check on him earlier in his career and eventually did not hire him for a position.

In one message, Read's attorneys said that Proctor wrote, "It should be 'punch a [n----r] day' in canton today out of retribution. Any shine u see blast it in the face."

Proctor allegedly wrote in another message, "America sucks …. Hitler was really on to something then the [f-----g] US has to step in and ruin it."

Goode allegedly referred to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu as a "little [c—t]," and said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey can "suck my [d--k]." He also made a derogatory statement about Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who is Jewish.

The former Canton police officer also used racial slurs against Black and Asian people, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit also alleges that Proctor and Goode had "long-standing and deeply held biases against women."

According to text messages in the lawsuit, Proctor and Goode allegedly repeatedly discussed performing sexual acts on women, sometimes while they are asleep. They also allegedly referred to women in various vulgar terms and as "pigs."

The complaint alleges that Proctor wrote in one message that he needed "a roofie or something" to find a sexual partner.

Goode allegedly wrote about the high-profile case of Sandra Birchmore, who was found dead inside her Canton apartment. Birchmore's death was initially ruled a suicide. Later, former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell was charged with killing her and is now awaiting federal trial.

The lawsuit alleges that Goode wrote, "[t]hat chick was borderline [r------d]."

In suing Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police, Read claims that both departments knew or should have known about Proctor and Goode's bigotry and retained officers who showed clear bias and were unfit to investigate crimes.

Proctor's lawyer Matt Hamel said that his client's personal life has "no bearing whatsoever on the investigation of Karen Read."

"The focus on anything other than Ms. Read's own conduct on the night Officer O'Keefe was killed is as telling as it is predictable," Hamel said in a statement. "In point of fact, the evidence that Karen Read killed John O'Keefe by backing up and striking him with her 6,000-pound Lexus SUV, while highly intoxicated, is overwhelming."

How the text messages became public

The text messages were obtained as a part of the prosecution of Myles King in Dedham. Proctor's personal phone was preserved and searched as part of that murder trial. Proctor was the lead investigator in the case.

Proctor's phone had been under a protective order, but Read's attorneys intervened and asked for permission to use the information from his phone in future litigation against the state police and Canton police.

On April 2, in a court filing, Read revealed that she planned a lawsuit, and the court agreed that she could use the text messages.

Read's lawyers are requesting a jury trial. They seek damages in an amount to be calculated at trial, along with pre- and post-judgment interest, costs and expenses. 

Mass. State Police on Proctor texts

"These disturbing messages are entirely inconsistent with any basic standard of decency and certainly with the expectations of a Massachusetts State Trooper," Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble said about Proctor's messages in a statement on Thursday.

Noble told reporters he was "disgusted by the vile remarks." 

"Those remarks, I know, do not represent the Massachusetts State Police. The Massachusetts State Police is not Michael Proctor and Michael Proctor is not the Massachusetts State Police," Noble said. "I and the entire department reject what we saw in those comments." 

In a statement, the Town of Canton said it refutes "any broad stroke characterizations about the brave and dedicated men and women who serve" in the Canton Police Department.

"The messages are abhorrent, deeply offensive, hateful, and do not reflect the values of the Canton Police Department or its members. The men and women of the Canton Police Department are entrusted with serving every member of the community fairly, professionally, and with respect. Preserving that trust requires accountability, transparency, and adherence to the highest standards of public service," Canton said in a statement on Friday. "Claims that the Town knowingly ignored misconduct or failed to take these allegations seriously are inconsistent with the actions taken."

The Norfolk County District Attorney's office, which prosecuted Read, said it had reviewed the lawsuit involving Proctor. 

"The egregious and offensive information discovered on former Trooper Proctor's personal cell phone is inexcusable.  Former Trooper Proctor's outrageous comments do not reflect the values or beliefs of the hard-working men and women in the Norfolk District Attorney's Office. In the fall of 2025, the NDAO began providing the discoverable material on former Trooper Proctor's personal cell phone to defense counsel in cases in which Proctor was an investigator and to potentially affected entities. The NDAO continues to review cases in which former Trooper Proctor was involved to ensure a fair and ethical prosecution of all defendants."