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One text chain from the device allegedly included “images of intimate body parts” and the name of a sexual assault victim, among other data.
A analysis of Michael Proctor’s personal cellphone data revealed not only the ex-trooper’s crass texts about Karen Read, but “images of intimate body parts” and other sensitive information, prosecutors said in a court filing Friday.
The disclosure came just days after Proctor dropped his appeal to win back his job with the Massachusetts State Police as his lawyer cited newly available but unspecified “disclosures.” The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office had recently issued a notice regarding data from Proctor’s phone that stretched back as far as 2013 and contained material potentially relevant to other cases he investigated.
In a motion Friday to shield the contents from the public, prosecutors said their “analysis of the personal cell phone is ongoing” and they are in the process of turning over text chats, audio files, and videos spanning many years.
“One text-chat contains highly sensitive information including images of intimate body parts of people not participating in the chat; screen shots of Facebook posts by non-participants; images of non-participants, full phone numbers and/or personal email addresses of the text-chain participants, and the name of a sexual assault victim,” prosecutors wrote.
Judge Peter Krupp granted the protective order, allowing defense attorneys to receive a copy of the files from Proctor’s phone but barring them from sharing the materials publicly.
The lead investigator into the death of Read’s boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, Proctor shot to infamy over the vulgar and misogynistic texts he sent about her to friends, family, and coworkers. Those messages came to light during a immediately-closed federal investigation into the case and included crass remarks about Read’s health and appearance, a joke about searching for nude photos on her phone, and a comment expressing hope that she might kill herself.
Read has long maintained she was framed for murder in a vast law enforcement conspiracy, naming Proctor as one of the linchpins. While Read was ultimately acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges in June, the high-profile case has had lasting implications for Proctor and his other investigations.
State Police suspended Proctor amid a lengthy internal affairs investigation and ultimately fired him in March, citing in part his conduct during Read’s case. His union, the State Police Association of Massachusetts, initially came to his defense and alleged the firing was “guided by expedience, the relentless drumbeat of conspiracy theorists and the intense glare of the media spotlight.”
In an about-face, however, the union recently pulled its support for Proctor’s Civil Service Commission appeal after additional phone data came to light.
“Following the discovery of new evidence from Michael Proctor’s cell phone, the State Police Association of Massachusetts’ Executive Board unanimously voted to sever all support for his appeal,” President Brian Williams said in a statement. “We hope this decisive move closes a deeply embarrassing chapter in State Police history.”
Read Friday’s court filing:
Motion for Protective Order — Michael Proctor Cellphone
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