Despite ending months ago, the Karen Read murder case continues to loom over Norfolk Superior Court.
On Tuesday, the lead investigator in that case, ex-state trooper Michael Proctor, will return there for a separate murder case. Some attorneys believe that Proctor’s behavior during the Read investigation could impact many other cases, too.
The former state trooper lost his job after his handling of the Read case was made public during the highly-publicized trial.
today, Proctor has been called to testify by attorneys for Myles King, who is accused of killing Marquis Simmons in 2021. His lawyers are looking to see whether Proctor acted appropriately, since he was the lead investigator in this case as well.
Read prosecutor Adam Lally testified last month as part of this process and is expected to be back on the stand Tuesday.
Lawyers for Myles King have asked the Commonwealth to produce all discovery evidence in the case.
King’s attorney has accused the DA’s office of dragging its feet when it comes to discovery and releasing information, and has filed a motion to have the case dismissed.
“The district attorney’s office and Michael Proctor, together, have not done their job,” defense attorney Rosemary Scapicchio said. “They had an obligation, a constitutional obligation to turn over evidence and they haven’t turned it over. And I’m talking six search warrants we didn’t get, BRIC information we didn’t get, cell phone calls or jail calls from my client when he was in custody, all of those are what we call Rule 14 automatic discover, and we don’t get them for four years.”
A judge has given the defense special access to Proctor’s work and telephone records, but they will remain sealed to the public.
The hearing Tuesday gets underway at 9 a.m.
Other defendants whose attorneys are seeking access to the Proctor files include Jovani De Los Santos and Shawn Johnson, tied to a 2022 murder in Randolph, and Brian Walshe, who is accused of killing and dismembering his wife in 2023 in Cohasset.
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