A JURY COULDN’T REACH A VERDICT IN THE KAREN REED CASE. DA MICHAEL MORRISSEY SAYS HE WILL RETRY THE CASE. THE CONDUCT OF THE STATE POLICE DURING THE INVESTIGATION HAS BECOME A MAJOR EMBARRASSMENT. TROOPER MICHAEL PROCTOR HE HAS BEEN RELIEVED OF DUTY. DO YOU THINK MORRISSEY WILL SURVIVE THIS? WHAT DO YOU THINK, ROB? I THINK HE’S GOING TO RETIRE. AND I WOULD EXPECT A RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT. YOU KNOW, LATE ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. ANYTIME, SOMETIME IN THE NEXT YEAR, YEAR, YEAR OR SO. I GUESS HE’S UP IN ABOUT TWO YEARS. DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD RETIRE? SURE. I MEAN, IT’S IT’S BEEN AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE DA’S OFFICE AND EMBARRASSMENT FOR STATE POLICE AND EMBARRASSMENT FOR LOCAL POLICE ACROSS THE BOARD. HE CAN’T SURVIVE IT. WHAT DO YOU THINK, ADRIAN? I AGREE WITH ALL OF THAT. HE’LL BE 70 IN A MONTH. AND YOU KNOW, HE’S HAD A GREAT, DISTINGUISHED CAREER. AND I THINK IT’S TIME TO END IT. WELL, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE STATE POLICE, GOVERNOR HEALEY, SHE HAS HAD SOME TIME TO APPOINT A NEW HEAD OF THE STATE POLICE. WHAT’S THE HOLD UP? I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HOLDUP IS, BUT I WILL SAY THIS AS A FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL, SHE’S HAD MORE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE STATE POLICE THAN A GOVERNOR TYPICALLY HAS. AND SHE’S PROBABLY THE RIGHT PERSON TO FIND ITS NEW LEADERSHIP. ALL RIGHT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? WELL, I THINK THERE’S BEEN A REVOLVING DOOR OF THE WRONG LEADER. SO I THINK SHE’S SMART TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE SHE HAS TO GET THIS RIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN A STRING OF SCANDALS NOT ON HER WATCH, REALLY, OR MOSTLY NOT ON HER WATCH, BUT SHE’S GOT TO GET IT RIGHT. KEN, CAN ONE NEW LEADER AND THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS TO BRING IN SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE MASSACHUSETTS ON THIS ONE. CAN ONE NEW LEADER REALLY CHANGE THE CULTURE, DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO YOU THINK, ROB? UH, SO FAR, NO. WHAT DO YOU THINK, ADRIAN? IT WILL B
'He can't survive': Analyzing political impact of Karen Read's mistrial
Updated: 10:58 AM EDT Jul 7, 2024
Two political analysts believe that the embarrassing details that emerged during the prosecution of Karen Read, which ended in a mistrial last week, will eventually contribute to the retirement of a long-time Massachusetts district attorney. A jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in Read's high-profile trial, which began in April and concluded on July 1. Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting John O'Keefe, her boyfriend, with an SUV and leaving him to die in a snowstorm.The prosecution says she hit O'Keefe with her black SUV outside of a home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking. Her defense argued someone else was responsible for killing O'Keefe.Within hours of the mistrial, State Police Interim Col. John Mawn announced Monday night that the lead investigator on the case, Trooper Michael Proctor, was relieved of duty and transferred out of the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.Mawn said state police were closely monitoring the Read trial. In one of the most dramatic moments of the trial, Proctor took the witness stand and read the vulgar texts he wrote about Read during the investigation into the death of John O'Keefe in January 2022 in Canton.Republican political analyst Rob Gray suggests on Sunday's episode of On The Record that the political repercussions of this embarrassing episode will spread to Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Gray suggested that Morrissey is likely to retire "sometime in the next year or so." "It's been an embarrassment for the DA's office, an embarrassment for State Police, an embarrassment for local police, across the board. He can't survive," said Gray. "I agree with all of that," said Adrian Walker, a Boston Globe Columnist. "He'll be 70 in a month. And, you know, he's had a great distinguished career, and I think it's time to end it."Morrisey, who was first elected DA in 2010 after serving for decades in the state legislature, has said his office plans to re-try the case against Karen Read.
NEEDHAM, Mass. — Two political analysts believe that the embarrassing details that emerged during the prosecution of Karen Read, which ended in a mistrial last week, will eventually contribute to the retirement of a long-time Massachusetts district attorney.
A jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in Read's high-profile trial, which began in April and concluded on July 1.
Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting John O'Keefe, her boyfriend, with an SUV and leaving him to die in a snowstorm.
The prosecution says she hit O'Keefe with her black SUV outside of a home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking. Her defense argued someone else was responsible for killing O'Keefe.
Within hours of the mistrial, State Police Interim Col. John Mawn announced Monday night that the lead investigator on the case, Trooper Michael Proctor, was relieved of duty and transferred out of the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Mawn said state police were closely monitoring the Read trial. In one of the most dramatic moments of the trial, Proctor took the witness stand and read the vulgar texts he wrote about Read during the investigation into the death of John O'Keefe in January 2022 in Canton.
Republican political analyst Rob Gray suggests on Sunday's episode of On The Record that the political repercussions of this embarrassing episode will spread to Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Gray suggested that Morrissey is likely to retire "sometime in the next year or so."
"It's been an embarrassment for the DA's office, an embarrassment for State Police, an embarrassment for local police, across the board. He can't survive," said Gray.
"I agree with all of that," said Adrian Walker, a Boston Globe Columnist. "He'll be 70 in a month. And, you know, he's had a great distinguished career, and I think it's time to end it."
Morrisey, who was first elected DA in 2010 after serving for decades in the state legislature, has said his office plans to re-try the case against Karen Read.
