Union calls unpaid suspension of lead investigator in Karen Read case 'disappointing'

PETER. YEAH. BEN PROCTOR HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE NORFOLK COUNTY DA’S DETECTIVE UNIT. AND HERE TO THE SOUTH BOSTON BARRACKS. THAT’S WHERE WE ARE. AND THAT’S WHERE YOU CAN SEE DOZENS OF DEMONSTRATORS ARE RIGHT NOW AS WELL. MANY OF THEM HOLDING SIGNS CALLING FOR PROCTOR TO BE TERMINATED. SOME ALSO CALLING FOR OTHER STATE TROOPERS TO BE DISCIPLINED. AS A RESULT OF THIS AS WELL. NOW, IT WAS LAST MONTH THAT MICHAEL PROCTOR TOOK THE STAND IN THE KAREN REED TRIAL, AND IT WAS THERE WHERE HE ADMITTED TO TEXTING WITH FRIENDS AND COWORKERS. A NUMBER OF OFFENSIVE MESSAGES ABOUT REED, THE SUBJECT OF HIS INVESTIGATION AND AT THE TIME, PROCTOR SAID HE REGRETTED THOSE TEXTS. THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAYING SHE WAS DISGUSTED. WELL, TODAY, A BOARD OF THREE STATE POLICE TROOPERS DISCIPLINING PROCTOR AND SAID HE SHOULD BE SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY. COLONEL JACKMAN, ACCEPTING THAT BOARD’S RECOMMENDATION, MAKING IT EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. NOW, IN A TERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION, IS STILL UNDERWAY AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT, THE DEPARTMENT CAN PURSUE FURTHER DISCIPLINARY CHARGES, WHICH COULD CONSIST OF TERMINATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT. NOW, BACK HERE LIVE, YOU CAN SEE THE DEMONSTRATIONS HERE ONGOING. WE’VE SEEN SIGNS CALLING PROCTOR A MISOGYNIST AND A BULLY. WE’VE HEARD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE BEEPING THEIR HORNS AS THEY DRIVE BY HERE, WHERE WE ARE ON DAY BOULEVARD IN SOUTH BOSTON. NOW, WE SPOKE WITH THE FORMER LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE CANTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, A MEMBER OF THAT DEPARTMENT FOR 35 YEARS. WE’LL HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY ABOUT ALL OF THIS COMING UP AT SIX. FOR NOW, WE’RE

The union representing Massachusetts State Police lead investigator Michael Proctor, who was relieved from duty hours after Karen Read's murder trial ended in a mistrial, called the move to suspended him without pay on Monday "disappointing."During the trial, Trooper Michael Proctor was questioned about messages he shared with a group of friends. After reading one of the messages, in which he called Read a "whack job" and an expletive, he apologized to the jury for his "unprofessional" comments.Proctor described his messages as "very regrettable."Within hours of the mistrial, Proctor was relieved from duty and transferred out of the detective unit of the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, effective on Sunday, July 7.A state police duty status hearing held Monday determined Proctor should be suspended without pay. Col. John Mawn Jr., the Massachusetts State Police interim colonel, accepted the recommendation, which took effect immediately.An ongoing internal affairs investigation will continue, state police said.Video below: Massachusetts Trooper Michael Proctor questioned about inappropriate texts"The decision to suspend him without pay pending the outcome of the investigation is disappointing because it shifts Trooper Proctor’s punishment to his young family," a written statement from the State Police Association of Massachusetts said Tuesday. "His children will lose access to benefits such as health insurance."The union's statement said it will never condone the unacceptable language used in personal text messages presented as evidence during the trial. "We would like to reiterate that unless the department’s ongoing investigation proves otherwise, yesterday’s actions have no relationship to salacious allegations of cover-ups, collusion or conspiracies offered by the defense," the union's written statement said. "Because of our obligations to the membership and due to the department’s ongoing investigation, we will be making no additional comment regarding (Monday's) hearing," the union said. Video below: Karen Read case: Gov. Healey 'disgusted' by Trooper's text messages

BOSTON —

During the trial, Trooper Michael Proctor was questioned about messages he shared with a group of friends. After reading one of the messages, in which he called Read a "whack job" and an expletive, he apologized to the jury for his "unprofessional" comments.

Proctor described his messages as "very regrettable."

Within hours of the mistrial, Proctor was relieved from duty and transferred out of the detective unit of the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, effective on Sunday, July 7.

A state police duty status hearing held Monday determined Proctor should be suspended without pay.

Col. John Mawn Jr., the Massachusetts State Police interim colonel, accepted the recommendation, which took effect immediately.

An ongoing internal affairs investigation will continue, state police said.

Video below: Massachusetts Trooper Michael Proctor questioned about inappropriate texts

"The decision to suspend him without pay pending the outcome of the investigation is disappointing because it shifts Trooper Proctor’s punishment to his young family," a written statement from the State Police Association of Massachusetts said Tuesday. "His children will lose access to benefits such as health insurance."

The union's statement said it will never condone the unacceptable language used in personal text messages presented as evidence during the trial.

"We would like to reiterate that unless the department’s ongoing investigation proves otherwise, yesterday’s actions have no relationship to salacious allegations of cover-ups, collusion or conspiracies offered by the defense," the union's written statement said.

"Because of our obligations to the membership and due to the department’s ongoing investigation, we will be making no additional comment regarding (Monday's) hearing," the union said.

Video below: Karen Read case: Gov. Healey 'disgusted' by Trooper's text messages

Union calls unpaid suspension of lead investigator in Karen Read case 'disappointing'

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