Karen Read Sues Massachusetts State Police And Canton Over O'Keefe Probe
Karen Read filed an 87-page civil lawsuit in Bristol Superior Court on June 4, 2026 against the Massachusetts State Police and the Town of Canton, alleging a culture of bigotry, misogyny and systemic failures.[1]
The complaint cites profane, derogatory text messages exchanged between ex-Trooper Michael Proctor and ex-Canton Sgt. Sean Goode that targeted Read.[1] Proctor was fired from the state police in 2025 over those messages, and Goode resigned from the Canton force days before Read filed the new suit amid a misconduct investigation.[1]
Read was previously acquitted of murder and manslaughter in the 2022 death of Boston officer John O'Keefe.[1] She is also involved in separate wrongful-death and federal civil-rights litigation tied to the same case.[1]
The filing adds to an expanding legal fight tied to the O'Keefe case and could shape evidence and claims in the related wrongful-death and federal civil-rights litigation.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On June 4, 2026, Karen Read filed an 87-page civil lawsuit in Bristol Superior Court against the Massachusetts State Police and the Town of Canton.
- The suit alleges a culture of bigotry, misogyny and systemic failures in both agencies and cites profane, derogatory texts between ex-Trooper Michael Proctor and ex-Canton Sgt. Sean Goode about Read.
- Proctor was fired from the state police in 2025 over his messages, and Goode resigned from Canton police days before the new lawsuit following a misconduct investigation.
- Read was previously acquitted of murder and manslaughter in the 2022 death of Boston officer John O'Keefe and is simultaneously involved in related wrongful-death and federal civil-rights litigation.
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