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CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Fired investigator's texts presented to jurors in Karen Read's retrial
FacebookTweetLink Follow Jurors in the retrial of Karen Read on Monday heard a spate of sexist messages the lead investigator of the case sent his friends, after the judge ruled to allow the since-fired Massachusetts State Police trooper's texts into evidence. 'She's a whack job c*nt,' Michael Proctor wrote about Read, according to testimony Monday by his childhood friend, Jonathan Diamandis, who was on the group chat where Proctor sent the message. 'Yeah, she's a babe,' Proctor said, less than 24 hours into the investigation of the death of Read's boyfriend, John O'Keefe. 'Weird Fall River accent though. No a**.' The contents of the text messages – which were notably presented to jurors under cross-examination by Massachusetts prosecutors and not Read's defense attorneys – were publicly known, having been presented at Read's first trial, which ended with a hung jury. But this is the first time jurors in her second trial have heard them. In a hearing last week outside the presence of the jury, the defense signaled the texts were important for helping jurors understand Proctor's state of mind. Prosecutors sought to exclude a presentation of the messages through Diamandis, arguing the defense should have to put the former trooper on the stand – an idea defense attorney David Yannetti appeared to resist. Monday, Judge Beverly Cannone sided with the defense. Prosecutors have accused Read of drunkenly striking O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow outside a Canton, Massachusetts, home in January 2022. But Read's defense claims she was framed by other off-duty law enforcement who were inside that home, alleging they killed O'Keefe and conspired to frame her. Proctor is a key figure in the case: While he led the investigation into O'Keefe's death, his text messages have been used by Read's defense attorneys to paint a picture of a flawed and biased investigation. Jurors have already heard testimony about sexist texts the investigator sent his colleagues – including his superiors – at the Massachusetts State Police, in which he said he had found 'no nudes' during a search of Read's cellphone. State police announced Proctor had been relieved of duty last July, the same day Read's first trial ended in a mistrial. In March, weeks before Read's retrial began, the agency announced he was fired following an internal review. A MSP trial board determined Proctor had committed several violations of MSP policy, including sending inappropriate text messages about a suspect and providing sensitive or confidential information about an investigation to individuals who were not law enforcement, according to a personnel order obtained by CNN. The board also found Proctor had created the appearance of bias in his dealings with a homicide suspect, and/or brought himself and the agency into disrepute. An attorney for Proctor declined to comment Monday. Last year, during the first trial, Proctor apologized on the stand for the 'unprofessional' comments. Read has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death. Diamandis testified Monday he has known Proctor for about 30 years, going back to middle school. The two remain close friends, Diamandis said, and he confirmed he and Proctor were on a text message chain with several other friends from high school. When Yannetti presented him with a document, Diamandis confirmed it contained a portion of the approximately 38,000 messages on that text chain. Aside from the messages that disparaged the defendant, others showed Proctor sharing with his friends details about the victim and the investigation more broadly. At one point, Proctor signaled that whether Read struck O'Keefe intentionally or not, 'That's another animal we won't be able to prove.' On cross-examination, special prosecutor Hank Brennan sought to have Diamandis read the texts aloud. But when Brennan tried to have him read the texts that referred to Read as a 'whack job' and her looks, the witness declined. 'I'm not really comfortable reading these,' he said. 'Do I have to say these words out loud?' Ultimately, the court decided to have Brennan read aloud the text messages, with the prosecutor asking Diamandis to confirm their content. 'She's f**ked,' Proctor wrote just before 11:07 p.m. on January 29, 2022 – less than 24 hours after the commonwealth says Read struck O'Keefe with her vehicle. Someone else in the chain responded, 'No a** b*tch,' and Proctor responded with a 'laugh' reaction, Diamandis confirmed. Still, while the texts were crude and offensive, they never indicated Proctor committed misconduct in the case, Diamandis said under questioning by Brennan. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor,' Brennan asked, 'has he ever suggested that he planted evidence in this case or any other case?' 'No,' Diamandis said. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor, has he ever suggested framing a defendant, including this defendant?' 'Absolutely not,' the witness said. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor, has he ever suggested tampering with evidence in this case or in any other case?' 'No, absolutely not.' Proctor's texts were entered into evidence Monday as questions swirl about whether the former state trooper himself will be forced to take the stand. The commonwealth did not call Proctor to testify while presenting its case in chief – a notable decision, considering he was the lead investigator. Instead, they called Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik, who testified to much of the investigation, saying any homicide case required a team effort. In his opening statement, defense attorney Alan Jackson likened Proctor to a 'cancer' that had infected the entire case. But the defense has signaled in recent days resistance to the idea of calling him to the stand, though he remains on its list of potential witnesses. Last Friday, while Brennan argued the defense should have to call Proctor to admit his text messages, Yannetti said that was the defense's choice to make. He contended the commonwealth wanted to force the defense to call a witness 'that they do not have confidence in to call themselves.' 'It's unheard of in a murder case that you don't call the lead investigator, but that's what happened in this case,' Yannetti said. 'We should not be forced to call Michael Proctor so that Mr. Brennan can then cross-examine him and lead him through basically his entire closing argument.' This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Fired investigator's texts presented to jurors in Karen Read's retrial
FacebookTweetLink Follow Jurors in the retrial of Karen Read on Monday heard a spate of sexist messages the lead investigator of the case sent his friends, after the judge ruled to allow the since-fired Massachusetts State Police trooper's texts into evidence. 'She's a whack job c*nt,' Michael Proctor wrote about Read, according to testimony Monday by his childhood friend, Jonathan Diamandis, who was on the group chat where Proctor sent the message. 'Yeah, she's a babe,' Proctor said, less than 24 hours into the investigation of the death of Read's boyfriend, John O'Keefe. 'Weird Fall River accent though. No a**.' The contents of the text messages – which were notably presented to jurors under cross-examination by Massachusetts prosecutors and not Read's defense attorneys – were publicly known, having been presented at Read's first trial, which ended with a hung jury. But this is the first time jurors in her second trial have heard them. In a hearing last week outside the presence of the jury, the defense signaled the texts were important for helping jurors understand Proctor's state of mind. Prosecutors sought to exclude a presentation of the messages through Diamandis, arguing the defense should have to put the former trooper on the stand – an idea defense attorney David Yannetti appeared to resist. Monday, Judge Beverly Cannone sided with the defense. Prosecutors have accused Read of drunkenly striking O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow outside a Canton, Massachusetts, home in January 2022. But Read's defense claims she was framed by other off-duty law enforcement who were inside that home, alleging they killed O'Keefe and conspired to frame her. Proctor is a key figure in the case: While he led the investigation into O'Keefe's death, his text messages have been used by Read's defense attorneys to paint a picture of a flawed and biased investigation. Jurors have already heard testimony about sexist texts the investigator sent his colleagues – including his superiors – at the Massachusetts State Police, in which he said he had found 'no nudes' during a search of Read's cellphone. State police announced Proctor had been relieved of duty last July, the same day Read's first trial ended in a mistrial. In March, weeks before Read's retrial began, the agency announced he was fired following an internal review. A MSP trial board determined Proctor had committed several violations of MSP policy, including sending inappropriate text messages about a suspect and providing sensitive or confidential information about an investigation to individuals who were not law enforcement, according to a personnel order obtained by CNN. The board also found Proctor had created the appearance of bias in his dealings with a homicide suspect, and/or brought himself and the agency into disrepute. An attorney for Proctor declined to comment Monday. Last year, during the first trial, Proctor apologized on the stand for the 'unprofessional' comments. Read has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death. Diamandis testified Monday he has known Proctor for about 30 years, going back to middle school. The two remain close friends, Diamandis said, and he confirmed he and Proctor were on a text message chain with several other friends from high school. When Yannetti presented him with a document, Diamandis confirmed it contained a portion of the approximately 38,000 messages on that text chain. Aside from the messages that disparaged the defendant, others showed Proctor sharing with his friends details about the victim and the investigation more broadly. At one point, Proctor signaled that whether Read struck O'Keefe intentionally or not, 'That's another animal we won't be able to prove.' On cross-examination, special prosecutor Hank Brennan sought to have Diamandis read the texts aloud. But when Brennan tried to have him read the texts that referred to Read as a 'whack job' and her looks, the witness declined. 'I'm not really comfortable reading these,' he said. 'Do I have to say these words out loud?' Ultimately, the court decided to have Brennan read aloud the text messages, with the prosecutor asking Diamandis to confirm their content. 'She's f**ked,' Proctor wrote just before 11:07 p.m. on January 29, 2022 – less than 24 hours after the commonwealth says Read struck O'Keefe with her vehicle. Someone else in the chain responded, 'No a** b*tch,' and Proctor responded with a 'laugh' reaction, Diamandis confirmed. Still, while the texts were crude and offensive, they never indicated Proctor committed misconduct in the case, Diamandis said under questioning by Brennan. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor,' Brennan asked, 'has he ever suggested that he planted evidence in this case or any other case?' 'No,' Diamandis said. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor, has he ever suggested framing a defendant, including this defendant?' 'Absolutely not,' the witness said. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor, has he ever suggested tampering with evidence in this case or in any other case?' 'No, absolutely not.' Proctor's texts were entered into evidence Monday as questions swirl about whether the former state trooper himself will be forced to take the stand. The commonwealth did not call Proctor to testify while presenting its case in chief – a notable decision, considering he was the lead investigator. Instead, they called Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik, who testified to much of the investigation, saying any homicide case required a team effort. In his opening statement, defense attorney Alan Jackson likened Proctor to a 'cancer' that had infected the entire case. But the defense has signaled in recent days resistance to the idea of calling him to the stand, though he remains on its list of potential witnesses. Last Friday, while Brennan argued the defense should have to call Proctor to admit his text messages, Yannetti said that was the defense's choice to make. He contended the commonwealth wanted to force the defense to call a witness 'that they do not have confidence in to call themselves.' 'It's unheard of in a murder case that you don't call the lead investigator, but that's what happened in this case,' Yannetti said. 'We should not be forced to call Michael Proctor so that Mr. Brennan can then cross-examine him and lead him through basically his entire closing argument.' This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Fired investigator's texts presented to jurors in Karen Read's retrial
Jurors in the retrial of Karen Read on Monday heard a spate of sexist messages the lead investigator of the case sent his friends, after the judge ruled to allow the since-fired Massachusetts State Police trooper's texts into evidence. 'She's a whack job c*nt,' Michael Proctor wrote about Read, according to testimony Monday by his childhood friend, Jonathan Diamandis, who was on the group chat where Proctor sent the message. 'Yeah, she's a babe,' Proctor said, less than 24 hours into the investigation of the death of Read's boyfriend, John O'Keefe. 'Weird Fall River accent though. No a**.' The contents of the text messages – which were notably presented to jurors under cross-examination by Massachusetts prosecutors and not Read's defense attorneys – were publicly known, having been presented at Read's first trial, which ended with a hung jury. But this is the first time jurors in her second trial have heard them. In a hearing last week outside the presence of the jury, the defense signaled the texts were important for helping jurors understand Proctor's state of mind. Prosecutors sought to exclude a presentation of the messages through Diamandis, arguing the defense should have to put the former trooper on the stand – an idea defense attorney David Yannetti appeared to resist. Monday, Judge Beverly Cannone sided with the defense. Prosecutors have accused Read of drunkenly striking O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow outside a Canton, Massachusetts, home in January 2022. But Read's defense claims she was framed by other off-duty law enforcement who were inside that home, alleging they killed O'Keefe and conspired to frame her. Proctor is a key figure in the case: While he led the investigation into O'Keefe's death, his text messages have been used by Read's defense attorneys to paint a picture of a flawed and biased investigation. Jurors have already heard testimony about sexist texts the investigator sent his colleagues – including his superiors – at the Massachusetts State Police, in which he said he had found 'no nudes' during a search of Read's cellphone. State police announced Proctor had been relieved of duty last July, the same day Read's first trial ended in a mistrial. In March, weeks before Read's retrial began, the agency announced he was fired following an internal review. A MSP trial board determined Proctor had committed several violations of MSP policy, including sending inappropriate text messages about a suspect and providing sensitive or confidential information about an investigation to individuals who were not law enforcement, according to a personnel order obtained by CNN. The board also found Proctor had created the appearance of bias in his dealings with a homicide suspect, and/or brought himself and the agency into disrepute. An attorney for Proctor declined to comment Monday. Last year, during the first trial, Proctor apologized on the stand for the 'unprofessional' comments. Read has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death. Diamandis testified Monday he has known Proctor for about 30 years, going back to middle school. The two remain close friends, Diamandis said, and he confirmed he and Proctor were on a text message chain with several other friends from high school. When Yannetti presented him with a document, Diamandis confirmed it contained a portion of the approximately 38,000 messages on that text chain. Aside from the messages that disparaged the defendant, others showed Proctor sharing with his friends details about the victim and the investigation more broadly. At one point, Proctor signaled that whether Read struck O'Keefe intentionally or not, 'That's another animal we won't be able to prove.' On cross-examination, special prosecutor Hank Brennan sought to have Diamandis read the texts aloud. But when Brennan tried to have him read the texts that referred to Read as a 'whack job' and her looks, the witness declined. 'I'm not really comfortable reading these,' he said. 'Do I have to say these words out loud?' Ultimately, the court decided to have Brennan read aloud the text messages, with the prosecutor asking Diamandis to confirm their content. 'She's f**ked,' Proctor wrote just before 11:07 p.m. on January 29, 2022 – less than 24 hours after the commonwealth says Read struck O'Keefe with her vehicle. Someone else in the chain responded, 'No a** b*tch,' and Proctor responded with a 'laugh' reaction, Diamandis confirmed. Still, while the texts were crude and offensive, they never indicated Proctor committed misconduct in the case, Diamandis said under questioning by Brennan. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor,' Brennan asked, 'has he ever suggested that he planted evidence in this case or any other case?' 'No,' Diamandis said. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor, has he ever suggested framing a defendant, including this defendant?' 'Absolutely not,' the witness said. 'In your conversations with Mr. Proctor, has he ever suggested tampering with evidence in this case or in any other case?' 'No, absolutely not.' Proctor's texts were entered into evidence Monday as questions swirl about whether the former state trooper himself will be forced to take the stand. The commonwealth did not call Proctor to testify while presenting its case in chief – a notable decision, considering he was the lead investigator. Instead, they called Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik, who testified to much of the investigation, saying any homicide case required a team effort. In his opening statement, defense attorney Alan Jackson likened Proctor to a 'cancer' that had infected the entire case. But the defense has signaled in recent days resistance to the idea of calling him to the stand, though he remains on its list of potential witnesses. Last Friday, while Brennan argued the defense should have to call Proctor to admit his text messages, Yannetti said that was the defense's choice to make. He contended the commonwealth wanted to force the defense to call a witness 'that they do not have confidence in to call themselves.' 'It's unheard of in a murder case that you don't call the lead investigator, but that's what happened in this case,' Yannetti said. 'We should not be forced to call Michael Proctor so that Mr. Brennan can then cross-examine him and lead him through basically his entire closing argument.' This is a developing story and will be updated.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Pickup truck driver arrested after crash seriously injures 2 youths riding dirt bikes: N.S. RCMP
A 45-year-old man is facing charges following a crash in Fall River, N.S., that seriously injured two youths Friday night. RCMP, fire and ambulance crews responded to a report of a collision near the 1400 block of Fall River Road around 10 p.m. Police say a Dodge Ram was travelling on the road when it collided with a dirt bike travelling in the same direction. Two of three youths riding the dirt bike suffered serious injuries. They were taken to hospital by EHS. The third rider was not injured. RCMP officers found a Dodge Ram they believed was involved in the crash at a nearby gas station. Police say the driver shows signs of impairment and he provided a roadside breath sample that showed he was not impaired by alcohol. Officers then demanded the Fletchers Lake man perform a standard field sobriety test. Police say he refused and was arrested for refusal to comply with a demand. They say he also resisted and assaulted an officer during his arrest. Baggies containing 'a white substance' were found and seized by police when they searched the man. He was later released and will appear in Dartmouth provincial court at a later date to face charges of: refusal to comply with a demand assaulting a peace officer resisting arrest Police say their investigation into the collision continues. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Top stories: 'Real Housewives' and Fall River; Somerset voters OK fluoride ban
As we kick off a new week, let's take a look back at the week that was. Top stories this past week included: A meeting with leaders at the MBTA to discuss ongoing problems with the South Coast Rail project has been rescheduled to June 5, due to the weather this past week. It was originally scheduled for May 22. Freetown Lakeville Middle School principal Jackie Francisco will run 31 miles on Memorial Day to honor fallen Navy SEAL Tyler Trahan, a Freetown native. These Memorial Day events are planned in Greater Fall River. Bethann Faunce was sworn in as the first female chief of Fall River's EMS department. Westport's Owen Boudria was named the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association Division 5 Player of the Year. The Diman Bengals girls outdoor track and field team completed an undefeated season, winning the Mayflower Athletic Conference championship. The 2025 season has been a remarkable ride for the Diman boys tennis team. Bristol Aggie valedictorian Sarah Ashley is also a three-sport captain. The Nueva Vista Dual Language Program at Viveiros Elementary School in Fall River is expanding to include fourth grade. Fall River's Axis Bats has been a major hit for 18 years. Here's how the bat-maker does it. Looking for some things to do this weekend? Where you can make plans. Are you looking for a new best friend? Adopt, donate or volunteer at these local animal shelters. Have a local adventure this summer: Campgrounds in Southeastern Mass. to explore. Thanks to a collaboration between Tiverton Farmers Market and Sakonnet Vineyard, there's going to be a new farmers market around this summer! Here's what you can find at the Sakonnet Green Market. More than 500 residents of Fall River, New Bedford, Somerset and Swansea living in affordable housing are getting internet upgrades due to a state grant program. The twelfth annual Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Festival is coming up soon at the Westport Fairgrounds. What to know. Thinking about going, or going back to college this fall? Bristol Community College is holding an open house. Folks awaiting the return of two Little Compton eateries — which were slated for a revival under new ownership — may have to wait a bit longer. Pamela Huizenga, who took the reins at Simmons Café and Market in 2023 and The Barn Restaurant earlier this year, announced May 20 that she would not be moving forward with her plans to renovate and reopen the neighboring historic businesses. Berry Hill Farm in Westport is under new ownership by Carissa and Adam Davenport, and the young couple has big plans for the place, including opening up for berry-picking this summer. Azorean singer/songwriter and Netflix star Romeu Bairos is going to be performing in Fall River. What to know. The latest Greater Fall River real estate report, featuring a three-family home in Fall River that sold for $820,000. Each unit of the house on Hanover Street offers three bedrooms with the potential for a fourth, large kitchens, and cozy living rooms. Check out this property, as well as other recent top-sellers. These were the most read stories of the week on The show is called the 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island," but could it be filming in Fall River? If speculation is true, Fall River might be getting some of the spotlight. Speaking of "Real Housewives," Danielle Cabral of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" is visiting Fall River next month for a special event. 'Real Housewives': Could 'Real Housewives of RI' film in Fall River? Potential cast members have local ties At Somerset Town Meeting on May 19, voters spoke out on 48 articles. Most passed, including bans on homeless encampments and fluoride in drinking water. Here are the results from Somerset Town Meeting. Town Meeting results: Somerset voters OK bans on fluoride and homeless camps: Get the full Town Meeting results The search for Fall River's next city administrator continues, and should conclude in the coming weeks. It's a role that has been vacant since Seth Aitken resigned the position in late February. Mayor Paul Coogan said he plans to 'make a decision' in the next couple of weeks, and that an announcement may be made 'very soon.' What we know, as of this writing. Coogan: Fall River close to hiring a new city chief with 'inner workings' of the city Developers may now find it easier to fit more apartment units in a lot in Fall River's designated A-2 apartment zoning districts, as new zoning rules have loosened the requirements for apartment development. Herald News Reporter Emily Scherny has the story. Housing: Fall River changes rules to allow smaller, denser apartments. The goal: Cheaper housing The former William Connell Elementary School on Plymouth Avenue in Fall River, a dilapidated property considered one of the most at-risk buildings in the city, is up for sale. It comes with a hefty price tag: the asking price is $1.55 million. Learn more about the property. Real estate: One of Fall River's 5 most at-risk buildings is for sale. Would you pay $1.55M for it? This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Top stories: Could 'Real Housewives of RI' film in Fall River?
