Karen Read paid $100K by Massachusetts State Police for wrongful prosecution

Karen Read paid $100K by Massachusetts State Police for wrongful prosecution Read continues to face a separate wrongful death lawsuit filed by her late boyfriend’s family - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Karen Read will be paid $100,000 by Massachusetts State Police after the agency agreed to settle her lawsuit alleging misconduct in the investigation of her boyfriend John O’Keefe’s death. Read, 46, who was acquitted of murder in June 2025, sued Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton that same month, claiming their hiring practices allowed biased officers to investigate O’Keefe’s 2022 death and contributed to her prosecution. The lawsuit accused investigators of negligence and civil conspiracy, claiming they focused on Read as a suspect while ignoring other possible suspects. The $100,000 payment is the maximum available under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act. “The Massachusetts State Police have reached an agreement with Karen Read to resolve her lawsuit against the department,” a state police spokesperson told NBC Boston Monday. “The department determined that this agreement would avoid prolonged litigation and the high costs to taxpayers of continuing the case. The state police will continue to strengthen its investigative practices, enhance comprehensive training for investigators, and ensure that every investigation is thorough, impartial, and guided by the facts,” the statement concluded. State police said the settlement would save taxpayers the cost of a lengthy legal battle while improving investigative practices and training. The Independent has contacted Massachusetts State Police for comment. O’Keefe, a Boston police officer, was found unconscious in the snow outside a fellow officer’s home in Canton on January 29, 2022, after Read dropped him off at a party there hours earlier. He later died at a hospital from head injuries. Prosecutors accused Read of striking him with her SUV and leaving him to die, charging her with second-degree murder, manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a fatal crash. Read’s defense argued O’Keefe was killed inside the home and that investigators framed her. After her first trial ended in a hung jury in 2024, Read was acquitted of murder and manslaughter in June 2025 but found guilty of drunken driving. Her defense blasted authorities for focusing on her and not other suspects during their investigation. Read’s lawsuit against state police specifically criticized former Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in her criminal case, accusing him of being unfit for public trust. Proctor faced scrutiny during Read’s first trial after disparaging text messages he sent about her were used in court. The messages included derogatory remarks about Read, references to her medical issues and the comment “No nudes so far” while he was reviewing her phone. Proctor acknowledged the messages were “unprofessional.” He was relieved of duty without pay after the first trial ended in a hung jury and was fired by state police in March 2025. The department condemned the messages as “racist, sexist, and abhorrent,” saying they did not reflect its values. The settlement came the same day Netflix released a trailer for its upcoming docuseries on O’Keefe’s death and Read’s trials. The Trials of Karen Read series revisits the defense’s claims of a police cover-up and planted evidence, with interviews from family members, jurors and prosecution experts. Read also continues to face a separate wrongful death lawsuit filed by O’Keefe’s family. O’Keefe’s family alleges Read struck him with her SUV while driving drunk on January 29, 2022, then left him in the snow, where he died from his injuries and hypothermia. They also accuse Read of fabricating a police cover-up story and causing the family emotional distress, while alleging two Canton bars served her alcohol despite signs she was intoxicated. The family is seeking at least $50,000 in damages.