The disciplinary action against Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Yuriy Bukhenik, who was ordered to forfeit five days of accrued vacation time, highlights concerns about the supervision and management within the department.
Bukhenik’s failure to reprimand Trooper Michael Proctor for sending inappropriate text messages related to the Karen read murder case underscores the broader scrutiny surrounding the case.
Proctor’s texts, which included disparaging remarks about Read, were revealed during her July 2023 trial, which ended in a mistrial.
Proctor, the lead investigator in the case, had sent these messages to friends, family, and colleagues.
Sergeant Bukhenik, as Proctor’s supervisor, was found to have inadequately addressed this behavior and failed to document Proctor’s inefficiencies according to department guidelines.
The case against Karen Read is complex, with her defense team alleging a coverup and claiming that her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, was killed inside a home before being left outside in a snowstorm.
Read’s retrial is expected in January 2025, adding further intrigue to this ongoing legal battle.