Karen Read's retrial: Defense won’t call former Mass. State Police Trooper Michael Proctor

Now to the Karen Reed trial. The defense called its first witness today. Investigative reporter Ted Daniel is following the trial from Denim. As Ted explains, we also learned new information about former trooper Michael Proctor. Trooper Michael Proctor was the lead investigator of this case. The defense had him listed as a potential witness, but it looks like we will not be seeing him this time around. Karen, why aren't you guys calling Michael Proctor? Defense attorney David Yianetti confirms it was a team decision not to call Michael Proctor to the stand. You didn't appear to be too active on this threat. This after one of Proctor's childhood friends was asked to confirm that he was on a text chain where Proctor sent offensive texts about Karen Reed while investigating her for murder. And whom do you know as Chip? Michael Proctor. The prosecution wants to keep Proctor's texts out of the trial. Hank Brennan says if the defense wants the jury to hear them, then the defense needs to call Michael Proctor. It will be distracting, confusing for the jury and it could be unfair for either side because it will lead to our it will lead to arguments about what it means without a factual basis. Um, I think that's the whole impetus for this uh objection. So that we will call an a witness that they do not have confidence in to call themselves. It's it's unheard of in a murder case that you don't call the lead investigator. The jury also heard from a crash expert hired by the defense. He told the jury the prosecution's timeline is wrong and he says that John O'Keefe was still using his phone after the prosecution alleges a collision occurred. Testimony resumes Monday. Reporting in Denim, I'm Ted Daniel for your local station, Boston 25 News.