Karen Read Files Lawsuit Alleging Misconduct in Investigation

Karen Read, a Massachusetts woman previously acquitted of killing her police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe, has initiated a lawsuit. On Friday, she discussed the reasons behind her legal action, which accuses state authorities of misconduct and negligence during the investigation that led to her trial.

During an interview on “TODAY,” flanked by her attorneys, Read explained her need to “fight for justice.” She mentioned that while her acquittal was just, complete justice has yet to be achieved. Read stated, “This was always our plan, that I had to save my own life first.”

The legal case targets both the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton. The lawsuit claims that systemic issues such as bigotry and misogyny were present in the agencies that investigated O’Keefe’s 2022 death. Her attorneys argue that these institutional failures influenced her prosecution.

Read was acquitted last June on charges including second-degree murder and motor vehicle manslaughter while under the influence. However, she was found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

Her acquittal followed an initial trial that ended with a hung jury. One of her lawyers, Alan Jackson, highlighted the lawsuit’s goal: to expose “institutional biases” and “corruption” within Massachusetts law enforcement.

The law speaks in dollars, but that’s not the ultimate goal. What Karen wants, you cannot write on a check, which is exposure.

In response, Canton officials rejected these sweeping criticisms, noting their efforts in implementing audit recommendations related to the case handling. Massachusetts State Police Superintendent Col. Geoffrey Noble condemned the derogatory text messages highlighted in Read’s lawsuit. He described them as contrary to the standards of the department.

Read believes O’Keefe was also a victim of this institutional corruption. O’Keefe, 46, was found deceased outside another police officer’s home in January 2022 due to blunt force trauma and hypothermia, as reported by a medical examiner.

Prosecutors claimed Read accidentally reversed her vehicle into O’Keefe after dropping him off. They cited vehicle data and expert testimony in support. The allegations were denied by Read, who maintained her innocence. Her attorneys implicated Brian Albert, a retired police sergeant present at the gathering, in covering up the death. They also accused the investigation’s leader, former state trooper Michael Proctor, of bias and misconduct.

Proctor admitted to making unprofessional comments about Read but denied the investigation was biased. He was dishonorably discharged post-trial and did not testify in the second trial.

Since the trials, Read has focused on her case, taking time away from work. She continues to seek justice for O’Keefe, whom she remembered as an “easygoing and kind” individual.