Craig F. Walker/Boston Globe/Getty Images/File
Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe was found unresponsive outside this residence in Canton, Massachusetts, in January 2022.
CNN
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State troopers are currently investigating the death of a Boston police officer, authorities announced Thursday. The case adds another layer of complexity to a case that has deeply divided suburban Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts State Police announced that it has opened an internal investigation into “possible violations of department policy” against Officer Michael Proctor, one of the lead investigators in the death of Officer John O'Keefe. He did not elaborate on what he was being investigated for.
Investigators allege that O'Keefe's girlfriend, Karen Reed, hit him with her SUV in the Boston suburb of Canton in January 2022 and left him outside in the snow to die. .
But Reed's lawyers argue that Reed was fatally injured at the Boston police officer's home in Canton, and that Reed was the victim of a cover-up to protect those who were inside the home that night. He claimed that. After leaving the bar, Reed said he dropped O'Keefe off outside his house just after midnight and drove to O'Keefe's house to sleep because he was feeling unwell.
O'Keefe's body was found outside the home about six hours later. Reed has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a collision.
Massachusetts State Police did not say whether Mr. Proctor's alleged violation is related to Mr. Reed's case. “Officer Proctor remains on full duty,” a State Police spokesperson said in a statement to CNN on Thursday.
Boston Police/Associated Press
Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe was out with his girlfriend hours before his body was found in Canton, Massachusetts.
“We do not state whether a potential violation is related to a particular incident or specify the nature of the alleged violation.”
David Traub, a spokesman for the Norfolk District Attorney's Office, which is prosecuting Reed's case, told CNN he was aware of the investigation. Proctor remains “full-time, and his responsibilities within our office remain unchanged,” he said.
The investigation comes the same week that Reed's attorneys argued that Proctor did not fully disclose his relationship with a key witness in the case. At Tuesday's hearing, attorney Alan Jackson argued that text messages revealed that Proctor had a close relationship with the homeowner's family and had been in contact with them before and after O'Keefe's death.
“We have been arguing since September 2022 that there are inconsistencies in the claims we filed in this court and filed with the Commonwealth. You have not investigated the conflict. It wasn't explained to us. And we've been denied at every turn,” Jackson said in court Tuesday.
MediaNews Group/Boston Herald/Medianews Group/Getty Images/File
Karen Reed is pictured with defense attorneys Alan Jackson (left) and David Yanetti in Norfolk County Superior Court.
Proctor's attorney, Michael DiStefano, said his client is cooperating with the investigation.
“Officer Proctor remains steadfast in the integrity of his work investigating the death of John O'Keefe,” he said in a statement obtained by CNN. “To the extent that Officer Proctor's personal text messages were alluded to in the court proceedings regarding Ms. Reed, Officer Proctor did not believe that the objective investigative steps taken by him and members of his unit influenced the content of the personal messages. It is respectfully submitted that this is in no way compromised by.
Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally said the defense is using relationships to distract from allegations of Reid's guilt, CNN affiliate WFXT reported.
“This is a Monte trick with three cards. You know, card tricks. Corner, side. Look at all this. Look at this relationship. Look at that relationship.” said Larry.
Mr. Reed's trial is scheduled to begin next month.
