Paula Borrows

Presented with a thick stack of papers, records of nearly two years' worth of his personal text messages verbatim, Proctor looked like a deer in headlights.

Presented with a thick stack of papers, records of nearly two years' worth of his personal text messages verbatim, Proctor looked like a deer in headlights.

External investigations, both internally at the Massachusetts State Police and by the federal government, are what brought said text messages to light. And they would completely change the course of Proctor's long-awaited time on the stand.

External investigations, both internally at the Massachusetts State Police and by the federal government, are what brought said text messages to light. And they would completely change the course of Proctor's long-awaited time on the stand.

At the request of Adam Lally, Michael Proctor began by reading texts exchanged with childhood pals the night of January 29th, 2022, the night John O'Keefe died.

At the request of Adam Lally, Michael Proctor began by reading texts exchanged with childhood pals the night of January 29th, 2022, the night John O'Keefe died.

From this exchange, one could discern that Proctor was not only asserting that because the homeowners were law enforcement, that they would be impervious to further investigation, but that he'd also already made up his mind, mere hours into the developing case, that Karen was the culprit.

From this exchange, one could discern that Proctor was not only asserting that because the homeowners were law enforcement, that they would be impervious to further investigation, but that he'd also already made up his mind, mere hours into the developing case, that Karen was the culprit.

Legal analyst Rich Schoenstein says these texts made one thing crystal clear.

Legal analyst Rich Schoenstein says these texts made one thing crystal clear.

And the more he read from his own text exchanges, the deeper the hole that Proctor was digging for himself became.

And the more he read from his own text exchanges, the deeper the hole that Proctor was digging for himself became.

The text had gone from bad to worse. In what world could this ever be perceived as appropriate behavior by a law enforcement officer? Lally wanted to know.

The text had gone from bad to worse. In what world could this ever be perceived as appropriate behavior by a law enforcement officer? Lally wanted to know.

Lally also got clarity on just how long it took Proctor to arrive at his decision that Karen Reed was undeniably John's killer.

Lally also got clarity on just how long it took Proctor to arrive at his decision that Karen Reed was undeniably John's killer.

On the stand, Proctor may have displayed regret for his disparaging and inexcusable remarks, but one could argue that was merely hindsight because days following the death of John O'Keefe, he continued to text with his buddies, this time with pictures.

On the stand, Proctor may have displayed regret for his disparaging and inexcusable remarks, but one could argue that was merely hindsight because days following the death of John O'Keefe, he continued to text with his buddies, this time with pictures.

Karen Reed suffers from both multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, two chronic and debilitating illnesses. How would Proctor even begin to explain himself for mocking something so private and sensitive?

Karen Reed suffers from both multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, two chronic and debilitating illnesses. How would Proctor even begin to explain himself for mocking something so private and sensitive?