The legal proceedings involving Karen Read have unmasked a pattern of misconduct among Massachusetts law enforcement officials. Text messages exchanged between Trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton officer John Goode reveal extreme biases that have now triggered lawsuits and high-level resignations.

The "Let Them Die" messages and the Proctor-Goode exchange

The legal proceedings surrounding the death of John O'Keefe have transitioned from a murder trial into a massive investigation of police culture. According to the report, text messages exchanged between Massachusetts State Police trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton officer John Goode reveal a pattern of "racist, sexist, and violent content" spanning over a decade. These communications include a callous remark where Proctor allegedly told a colleague to "let them die" following a car crash in Canton.

Beyond individual insults, the lawsuit filed by Karen Read alleges that the two officers shared deep-seated misogyny. The messages reportedly included vulgar descriptions of women and discussions of sexual acts performed without consent. The report says the messages also contained hate-filled statements regarding Hitler and references to "punch a day" in Canton as a form of retribution. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Proctor made inappropriate comments regarding the use of "a roofie or something" to facilitate sexual encounters.

From a March 2025 firing to a June 2026 resignation

The fallout from these revelations has already resulted in significant personnel changes within the Massachusetts law enforcement community. Michael Proctor was terminated from the Massachusetts State Police in March 2025 following the discovery of his messages. Shortly thereafter, John Goode resigned from his position with the Canton Police Department on June 2, 2026, while under internal investigation tied to the same controversy.

These disciplinary actions come as Read's legal team seeks to hold both the Massachusetts State Police and the Canton Police Department accountable. The lawsuit argues that these departments failed to monitor or address the "institutional rot" evidenced by the decade-long exchange of bigoted messages. While the Massachusetts State Police has issued a statement condemning the messages as inconsistent with the values of the force,the lawsuit suggests the failure of oversight was systemic.

How the Proctor scandal bleeds into the Pelrine investigation

The controversy surrounding Michael Proctor is not limited to the Karen Read case; it has also impacted other high-profile investigations. Proctor served as the lead investigator in a case involving Plymouth Police Officer Samantha Pelrine and her husband, Daniel Forand. In March 2026, Pelrine and Forand were arrested following allegations of repeated sexual assault against a teenager.

Because Proctor’s personal phone was searched during the Read trial, his conduct in the Pelrine case has come under intense scrutiny. While Pelrine's law enforcement certification was suspended on March 30, 2026, the connection to Proctor’s documented biases has raised questions about the integrity of the entire investigation into Pelrine and Forand.

Who within the Massachusetts State Police ignored these decade-long biases?

While individual officers have been punished,the central question remains focused on the leadership of the Massachusetts State Police and the Canton Police Department. The lawsuit alleges that both agencies knew, or should have known, about the unfitness of the officers involved. It remains unclear how many other officers were aware of the communications between Proctor and Goode, or if any internal reporting mechanisms were ever triggered.

Furthermore, the extent to which these biases influenced other active investigations in the Canton and Plymouth areas remains a critical unknown for the legal teams involved. This scrutiny is compounded by the fact that Proctor is also set to be deposed in a separate wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of John O'Keefe against Karen Read.