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State Police to Pay Karen Read $100,000 to Settle Lawsuit Over Hiring of Officers in Her Case
The Massachusetts State Police has agreed to pay Karen Read $100,000 to settle her lawsuit alleging flawed hiring practices led to the retention of two racist and misogynistic officers who investigated her criminal case. Read was acquitted of second-degree murder in June 2025.
The Massachusetts State Police has agreed to pay Karen Read $100,000 to settle a lawsuit she filed in June alleging that the agency's hiring processes were flawed and allowed two racist and misogynistic officers to remain on the force and investigate her criminal case, according to settlement records.
Read, 46, sued both the State Police and the Town of Canton. The settlement with the State Police resolves the portion of the litigation against the agency.
The lawsuit centered on allegations that the defendants' hiring practices led to the retention of officers whose conduct and views compromised the investigation into the death of Read's boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe.
In June 2025, a jury acquitted Read of second-degree murder in connection with O'Keefe's death, concluding a high-profile retrial that drew national attention.
The settlement marks another chapter in a case that has raised broader questions about accountability within the State Police and the hiring and retention of officers with documented histories of misconduct. For residents across the region, the payout underscores ongoing concerns about how law enforcement agencies vet and supervise the personnel entrusted with sensitive investigations.
The agreement with the State Police does not resolve the claims against the Town of Canton, which remain part of the pending litigation.