Massachusetts State Police Lawsuit Highlights Racial and Misogynistic Texts

On June 4, 2026, Karen Read filed a civil complaint against the Massachusetts State Police and the Town of Canton. The lawsuit claims the agencies hired, trained, and supervised investigators whose longstanding biases—described in dozens of alleged text messages—impacted the inquiry into her boyfriend John O’Keefe’s death.

The complaint reproduces a series of messages attributed to former State Trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton Police Sgt. Sean Goode. The texts, reported to contain racist, misogynistic, antisemitic and anti‑LGBTQ remarks, allegedly predated their involvement in the O’Keefe investigation by several years.

Proctor’s messages are said to include derogatory references to women and to use slurs directed at Black, Asian, Hispanic, Arab, Jewish and LGBTQ individuals. One example presented in the complaint depicts a “thick pig” description of a woman, while another message references a “punch a ___ day” in Canton and a call for the destruction of specific cities. Slurs were allegedly used repeatedly in communication, in conflict with police department standards.

Goode’s texts, as cited in the complaint, also contain racial and antisemitic slurs. In one note, he is quoted saying an individual was “a lying ___.” The suit notes that these messages were transmitted years before he became involved in the O’Keefe case, and suggests the information was known—or should have been known—by supervisors and yet was not addressed.

According to Read’s legal team, the messages reveal a “deeply held culture of bigotry” within both law‑enforcement agencies. They argue that this bias contributed to an investigation that, in their view, missed evidence, failed to secure the scene properly, and placed undue pressure on Read to admit guilt.

The lawsuit also includes allegations that investigators either ignored or misrepresented evidence suggesting O’Keefe may have been injured inside the Canton home from which he was allegedly dropped. Further claims assert that vital evidence was not collected and that certain findings were manipulated to support the narrative of Read’s alleged assault with her vehicle.

In response, officials from the Massachusetts State Police and the Town of Canton have described the texts as “entirely inconsistent with the expectations of a trooper” and “not tolerated within our ranks.” The state agency cited the texts in arguing for the termination of Proctor, while the Canton Police said they took administrative action against Goode and launched an external investigation following discovery.

Read’s attorneys describe the lawsuit as a “crusade” to expose corruption and bias within the departments. They contend that the documented language underscores the individuals’ character and demonstrates an impaired capacity to conduct a neutral investigation.

While the investigation into the texts continues, the lawsuit seeks not only compensation but broader reform. Read’s team has positioned the case as a call for accountability and institutional change in Massachusetts law‑enforcement practices.