Karen Read, who was acquitted after two high-profile murder trials in Massachusetts, argues in a new interview that senior state leadership, including Gov. Maura Healey, has not done enough to address police misconduct.Read sat down for the interview with ABC News, along with two of her attorneys, one day after filing a new lawsuit against two of the departments that previously investigated her.”There’s clearly a rot permeating the state police, and it’s not just a coincidence; it’s the ones that were involved in my case that I happened to learn about with the help of the Department of Justice,” Read said. Read was found not guilty of murder last summer after her second high-profile trial in the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, but guilty of a lesser charge of drunken driving. O’Keefe was found dead during a snowstorm Jan. 29, 2022.Prior to her second trial, a Massachusetts State Police trooper who investigated the case was fired. Earlier this week, a Canton police sergeant resigned rather than face termination after an internal investigation. Both men had testified in Read’s first trial, and both are accused of writing prejudiced messages. Her team filed a complaint Thursday in Bristol County Superior Court, claiming the Canton Police Department and Massachusetts State Police “negligently permitted virulent misogynists and bigots to target her.”In Friday’s interview with ABC’s Aaron Katersky, Read alleged that the governor has turned a “blind eye” to alleged misconduct in the ranks of the Massachusetts State Police.As an example beyond her own case, Read cited the 2024 death of trainee Enrique Delgado Garcia. That case led to an internal investigation, and last month, the next training class was put on hold while the academy implements dozens of recommended changes. “They defined the state police as ‘paramilitary,’ and we are not in wartime in Massachusetts, and the governor is aware of all this and, at a minimum, she has not thoroughly addressed it,” Read said. Alan Jackson, a California-based attorney who helped lead Read’s criminal defense, suggested that state police should be audited and the federal government should step in. “There should probably be a federal judge who should be overseeing the Massachusetts State Police from the top, the very top,” he said. Contained in Read’s latest lawsuit were allegations that former state police Trooper Michael Proctor has a history of making bigoted remarks and that former Canton police Sgt. Sean Goode used similar language. The complaint contained numerous examples of racist, sexist and antisemitic messages. When asked about the messages contained in Read’s lawsuit at an unrelated event Friday, Col. Geoffrey Noble acknowledged the impact they could have on public trust.”I, just like everybody else, am disgusted by the vile remarks that have come to light,” said Noble, who took leadership of Massachusetts State Police between Read’s two trials. “Those remarks, I know they do not represent the Massachusetts State Police.”Noble also said that the law enforcement community must “ensure that we are learning” and making appropriate changes.Why she’s on this ‘mission’Read told ABC News that the two criminal trials and other ongoing legal fights have “changed her life forever.” She said the experience changed the way she sees her home state. “I think it’s an onus on me now to address the problems and the corruption that I’ve experienced,” she said. “I believe, in my opinion, that this happens to people in every county, in every state, in this, in this country.””Anybody who believes that Karen just ‘got away with it’ hasn’t looked at the evidence,” Jackson said. “It’s super easy to say, ‘Police arrest someone, they sit in the defendant’s chair, they must be guilty. The prosecution wouldn’t be prosecuting them if they’re not guilty.’ That’s myopic. It’s ignorant, and it does not define our justice system.” Read said that she and her legal team have long known they would go down this road. “We have to finish this, this mission we’re on. The trial, the criminal trial, was just the first half,” she said. What if she succeeds?Read said she wants to pursue “normal things” in her life after this saga finally comes to a close.She said that she wants to spend quality time with the family and friends who supported her during the difficult times of her criminal trials.”I don’t want to do those things until the crusade is over, but I’d like to,” she said.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Karen Read, who was acquitted after two high-profile murder trials in Massachusetts, argues in a new interview that senior state leadership, including Gov. Maura Healey, has not done enough to address police misconduct.

Read sat down for the interview with ABC News, along with two of her attorneys, one day after filing a new lawsuit against two of the departments that previously investigated her.

“There’s clearly a rot permeating the state police, and it’s not just a coincidence; it’s the ones that were involved in my case that I happened to learn about with the help of the Department of Justice,” Read said.

Read was found not guilty of murder last summer after her second high-profile trial in the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, but guilty of a lesser charge of drunken driving. O’Keefe was found dead during a snowstorm Jan. 29, 2022.

Prior to her second trial, a Massachusetts State Police trooper who investigated the case was fired. Earlier this week, a Canton police sergeant resigned rather than face termination after an internal investigation. Both men had testified in Read’s first trial, and both are accused of writing prejudiced messages.

Her team filed a complaint Thursday in Bristol County Superior Court, claiming the Canton Police Department and Massachusetts State Police “negligently permitted virulent misogynists and bigots to target her.”

In Friday’s interview with ABC’s Aaron Katersky, Read alleged that the governor has turned a “blind eye” to alleged misconduct in the ranks of the Massachusetts State Police.

As an example beyond her own case, Read cited the 2024 death of trainee Enrique Delgado Garcia. That case led to an internal investigation, and last month, the next training class was put on hold while the academy implements dozens of recommended changes.

“They defined the state police as ‘paramilitary,’ and we are not in wartime in Massachusetts, and the governor is aware of all this and, at a minimum, she has not thoroughly addressed it,” Read said.

Alan Jackson, a California-based attorney who helped lead Read’s criminal defense, suggested that state police should be audited and the federal government should step in.

“There should probably be a federal judge who should be overseeing the Massachusetts State Police from the top, the very top,” he said.

Contained in Read’s latest lawsuit were allegations that former state police Trooper Michael Proctor has a history of making bigoted remarks and that former Canton police Sgt. Sean Goode used similar language. The complaint contained numerous examples of racist, sexist and antisemitic messages.

When asked about the messages contained in Read’s lawsuit at an unrelated event Friday, Col. Geoffrey Noble acknowledged the impact they could have on public trust.

“I, just like everybody else, am disgusted by the vile remarks that have come to light,” said Noble, who took leadership of Massachusetts State Police between Read’s two trials. “Those remarks, I know they do not represent the Massachusetts State Police.”

Noble also said that the law enforcement community must “ensure that we are learning” and making appropriate changes.

Why she’s on this ‘mission’

Read told ABC News that the two criminal trials and other ongoing legal fights have “changed her life forever.” She said the experience changed the way she sees her home state.

“I think it’s an onus on me now to address the problems and the corruption that I’ve experienced,” she said. “I believe, in my opinion, that this happens to people in every county, in every state, in this, in this country.”

“Anybody who believes that Karen just ‘got away with it’ hasn’t looked at the evidence,” Jackson said. “It’s super easy to say, ‘Police arrest someone, they sit in the defendant’s chair, they must be guilty. The prosecution wouldn’t be prosecuting them if they’re not guilty.’ That’s myopic. It’s ignorant, and it does not define our justice system.”

Read said that she and her legal team have long known they would go down this road.

“We have to finish this, this mission we’re on. The trial, the criminal trial, was just the first half,” she said.

What if she succeeds?

Read said she wants to pursue “normal things” in her life after this saga finally comes to a close.

She said that she wants to spend quality time with the family and friends who supported her during the difficult times of her criminal trials.

“I don’t want to do those things until the crusade is over, but I’d like to,” she said.