The Massachusetts State Police have agreed to pay Karen Read $100,000 to settle part of a civil lawsuit in which she accused officers of misconduct during the investigation into the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
The settlement follows Read’s acquittal in June 2025 of second-degree murder in O’Keefe’s death. The 46-year-old had faced a possible life sentence if convicted.
The agreement still requires approval from a judge. The claims Read brought against the town of Canton remain active, and she is continuing to pursue related legal action in other venues.
Lawsuit Accused Investigators of Misconduct
Read filed the lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton in Bristol County Superior Court on June 4, alleging negligence and misconduct in the investigation that resulted in her prosecution.
Her complaint focused on former state trooper Michael Proctor, who led the investigation into O’Keefe’s death, and former Canton police Sergeant Sean Goode, who responded to the scene.
Read alleged that the two officers exchanged offensive and antisemitic messages. According to the lawsuit, Proctor referred to her as a “whack job” and expressed the hope that she would kill herself.
The complaint also alleged that Proctor made racist remarks, including using the n-word, and once wrote that “Hitler was really on to something.”
Read argued that the messages exposed what she described as “an embedded culture of bigotry, misogyny, systemic failures, and institutional rot” within the police force.
State Police Say Settlement Avoids Further Legal Costs
The Massachusetts State Police said the $100,000 agreement would prevent prolonged litigation and the additional costs to taxpayers associated with continuing the case.
The settlement amount represents the maximum compensation Read could recover under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, which governed her claims against the agency.
However, Read did not agree or admit that her damages resulting from the alleged misconduct were limited to $100,000, according to court filings reported by Boston.com.
In a November 2 filing, the state police condemned the messages quoted in her complaint, describing them as racist, sexist and abhorrent. The agency said the remarks did not represent its values and were not tolerated within its ranks.
Former Lead Investigator Was Fired in 2025
Proctor was suspended without pay before the state police terminated his employment in March 2025.
The termination order stated that he had sent derogatory, defamatory, disparaging and otherwise inappropriate text messages about Read. It also said his conduct created the appearance that he was biased in his dealings with a homicide suspect and brought disrepute to himself and the Massachusetts State Police.
Proctor maintained that his comments were juvenile and unprofessional but had no impact on the facts, evidence or integrity of the investigation.
Read Was Acquitted of Murdering John O’Keefe
O’Keefe, 46, was found dead on January 29, 2022, after a night of drinking with Read.
Prosecutors alleged that Read struck him with her SUV outside a party at the home of fellow police officer Brian Albert before leaving him outside. The defence argued that O’Keefe was killed inside the house and subsequently taken outdoors.
Read was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene. She was acquitted of the murder charge in June 2025 but convicted of a lesser charge of drunken driving.
The verdict followed an earlier trial in which jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision on July 1, 2024, resulting in a mistrial.
During the proceedings, Massachusetts medical examiner Dr Irini Scordi-Bello testified that O’Keefe died from blunt impact injuries to the head and hypothermia. She also said she did not have enough information to determine whether his injuries were accidental.
Other Civil Cases Related to O’Keefe’s Death Remain Pending
The $100,000 settlement does not resolve the other legal disputes connected to O’Keefe’s death.
His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read, while Read has brought a separate federal case against civilian witnesses and investigators, accusing them of conspiring to frame her.
Four witnesses also filed a defamation lawsuit against Read in April, and that case remains ongoing.
The Massachusetts State Police and Read’s attorney, Aaron Rosenberg, were contacted for further comment.
