Suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor will appear in front of what's known as a trial board Wednesday as part of the disciplinary process for behavior that received heavy scrutiny during the Karen Read murder trial.
The hearing won't be public, but the department's new commander may "immediately impose permanent discipline" on Proctor if reasonable grounds are found, prosecutors have said. State police will also share the results of its investigation with the state's POST Commission, which certifies police officers throughout the state
Proctor, who was the lead investigator in the Read case, was suspended without pay in July after a duty status hearing. The state trooper has publicly admitted to making "unprofessional and regrettable" comments about Read during the investigation into the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe.
Ahead of Wednesday's hearing at the state police headquarters in Framingham, we asked two experts about what to expect:
Law enforcement expert Todd McGhee, a former Massachusetts State Police trooper:
"There is a very good chance Trooper Proctor will end up on the Brady List, which now brings into light in questioning the credibility as a police officer in being able to present as a witness in testimony in the court of law."
"This is an administrative action by the department and, in that regard, they need to get through this one piece. And then the secondary issue is will he be another witness for the actual trial itself? And, for who? Will he be a direct witness for the prosecution again, or will he be called by the defense?"
NBC10 Boston legal analyst Michael Coyne:
"Obviously there's some real danger with the jury hearing that he's terminated as the result of his behavior, as lead investigator in this case. So, it could marginally get worse, but it's really, really bad already."