Accusations of corruption in the Karen Read case have sparked an audit of the Canton Police Department, which began Monday night with a fiery meeting.
It's the same day as opening statements in the high-profile trial. Read is accused of hitting and killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV in Canton, Massachusetts, in January 2022. Her defense team has alleged a police coverup, which authorities have repeatedly denied.
It's become a divisive issue in the town. In the eyes of many in Canton, their entire local government is under a cloud of suspicion based on perceptions around the trial. It's caused chaos in Select Board meetings, even as officials attempt to shut down public comment.
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"I know people who have lost friends over this," retired high school teacher Mary McManus said. "You know, we want to know what is going on in town."
McManus started watching the meeting at home, but raced over to Canton Town Hall to join in person, pushing for answers.
People are afraid to open their mouths and say something," she said. "People are afraid they are going to lose friends,
Last November, residents turned out in droves to vote, by a narrow margin, for an independent audit of the Canton Police Department. The erosion of public trust was seeded almost two years earlier, when Canton police officers were the first investigators on scene when O'Keefe's body was discovered.
"It’s a difficult time for Canton and we see the solution being transparency, accountability," said Kathleen Howley, a Canton resident who spearheaded the effort.
Since that vote, Read supporters have become convinced that law enforcement has something to hide. The Canton officers were first to respond to the scene at 34 Fairview Road. After Massachusetts State Police took over, its lead investigator, Michael Proctor, became the subject of an internal review.
