Fired investigator Michael Proctor rejects claims that he is corrupt
The previous Massachusetts state trooper who was fired over his conduct within the Karen Learn case referred to as accusations that he’s corrupt and helped body her “ridiculous,” saying in an interview that “there’s not one piece of proof or reality to assist that.”
“It didn’t occur,” Michael Proctor instructed “Dateline.” “I’d by no means do one thing like that.”
Proctor’s feedback come as Learn was acquitted of second-degree homicide, motorized vehicle manslaughter and different crimes within the 2022 demise of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Prosecutors accused Learn, 45, of drunkenly backing her Lexus SUV into O’Keefe on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him for lifeless exterior the suburban residence of a now-retired Boston police sergeant.
For extra on the Karen Learn verdict, tune in to “Dateline” at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. Thursday.
The jury convicted Learn of only one cost — working beneath the affect. She was sentenced to 1 yr of probation.
The acquittal marked the Norfolk County District Legal professional’s second try at prosecuting Learn. Her first trial ended with a hung jury final summer season. Proctor featured prominently in these proceedings, with Learn’s protection staff accusing him of main a biased and corrupt investigation.
Through the trial, they pointed to others — together with the retired sergeant, Brian Albert — as doable suspects in O’Keefe’s demise who weren’t correctly investigated or as members within the alleged conspiracy to cowl it up.
Albert has denied the allegation. In a joint assertion Wednesday, he and others accused within the alleged conspiracy referred to as Learn’s acquittal “a devastating miscarriage of justice.”
The protection argued that Proctor, the case’s lead investigator, manipulated key proof, together with a cracked taillight on Learn’s SUV that authorities pointed to as an indication of the crash that they mentioned mortally wounded O’Keefe. Fragments of crimson plastic have been discovered scattered across the web site of the alleged influence.
Requested if he cracked Learn’s taillight to make it look a sure means, Proctor instructed “Dateline,” “Completely not.”
Of their try to bolster allegations of Proctor’s misconduct, Learn’s protection attorneys have pointed to exchanges concerning the case that they mentioned he had along with his sister, in addition to disparaging textual content messages he despatched about Learn to household, pals and supervisors.
Through the first trial, Proctor testified that his conduct didn’t compromise the integrity of the investigation. He acknowledged speaking along with his sister concerning the case, although he testified that he solely made her conscious of “newsworthy stuff.” He additionally acknowledged that his feedback — which included derogatory statements about one in all Learn’s medical circumstances — “dehumanized” her.
The Massachusetts State Police suspended Proctor after the mistrial and launched an inside investigation into allegations of “severe misconduct” that the company mentioned have been raised at trial.
Proctor was dishonorably discharged earlier this yr after the investigation decided he disclosed investigative particulars to non-law enforcement personnel and made disparaging feedback about Learn.
The investigation additionally discovered that he drank alcohol on obligation and drove his cruiser.
Whereas Proctor was listed as a doable witness for each the protection and prosecution in Learn’s retrial, he was not referred to as to testify.