It felt like complicity.
Which is infinitely worse.
Fair or unfair, that was the general public perception from the beginning of the trial.
Which is only reasonable when all the “mistakes” all seemed to break in one direction.
Against the defendant and towards her guilt.
That’s how it seemed with the investigation led by Mass.
State Trooper Michael Proctor.
–The lack of curiosity inside the house about anything the police were doing at the crime scene.
–Blood samples collected in red Solo cups and kept inside a grocery bag.
–The sudden and inexplicable butt dial epidemic.
–The video from inside the Canton Police garage without the jury being told it was.
This was as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.
And this list is just skimming the surface of the surface.
This rabbit hole of sketchy police work went a lot deeper.
Down the molten core of Massachusetts law enforcement.
And a lot of it was obscured by the biggest, most egregious reveal from the trial.
And based on their texts, Albert lost his badge and gun.
For his trouble, Proctor has been put on “administrative leave.”
Otherwise known as desk duty.
Or what cops call “The Rubber Gun Club.”
But he wasn’t texting that stuff to himself.
Those texts were sent to family, friends, and coworkers, Proctor testified.
Proctor is on leave pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation.
Albert was not a detective on the case.
However, the report exonerated Albert of criminal conduct or misuse of his firearm.
He is now back on the job.
Not five days' pay.
Five theoretical days off.
I put it that way because so many state and local workers have vacation time they’ll never use.
When I retired from the courts, I had a couple of months worth.
Which the state bought back from me at like 20%.
So Bukhenik will likely never notice those days are gone off the books.
Your boss will buy your alibi that it was all just aSuper Troopers-like gag you were pulling.
And let bygones be bygones on the whole shitfaced-on-the-job thing.
Whatever else this case has done, it’s shown the world how things function in Massachusetts government.
That’s not worth the death of John O’Keefe.
But it’s not nothing, either.
