Karen Read isn't done yet. Two days after former Canton Police Sgt. Sean Goode resigned amid an internal affairs investigation, Read filed a civil lawsuit Thursday in Bristol County Superior Court against the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton, alleging that a "culture of bias and corruption" allowed two bigoted officers to run a fraudulent investigation against her. The complaint names fired MSP Trooper Michael Proctor — the lead investigator who was terminated in part for texting that he hoped Read would kill herself — and Goode, who worked the scene the night John O'Keefe died and testified at her first trial.

The lawsuit doesn't mince words. It calls both men "inveterate bigots" whose private text messages, obtained under court order, reveal years of misogynistic and racist language. One message showed Proctor using a crude sexual slur and an anti-Black slur to describe a Boston Police employee — the same department that, notably, declined to hire him before State Police did in 2013. Read is seeking unspecified financial damages, and her legal team's argument is essentially this: the agencies didn't just employ bad actors, they created the conditions for them to thrive.

What happens next is a long road through civil court, but this case has legs beyond the courtroom. The POST Commission — the state's police oversight board — still has Proctor's conduct in its sights, and Goode's internal affairs investigation isn't closed just because he resigned. The political pressure on State Police leadership to explain how both men rose through the ranks isn't going away either.

Someone caught on security camera Wednesday morning stole a clearly labeled Juneteenth package from outside the Museum of African American History on Beacon Hill, dragged its contents into a nearby alley, and set them on fire. The African Meeting House — the oldest surviving Black church building in the country, over 200 years old — sits right there. Museum CEO Dr. Noelle Trent called it deeply deliberate and alarming: "The smallest ember can start major devastation." Boston Police are investigating it as a suspected hate crime and asking the public to help identify the suspect, described as a white male in a dark jacket and white sneakers.

The Boston City Council voted Wednesday to approve a $1.73 billion Boston Public Schools budget that eliminates more than 400 student-facing positions, including paraprofessionals and in-school support staff. Rising healthcare costs and a decade-long enrollment decline of nearly 10,000 students are driving the cuts. Multiple councilors called their votes painful but necessary. The Boston Teachers Union had urged rejection. Meanwhile, the council punted on Mayor Michelle Wu's broader city operating budget, saying they need more time to work through amendments.

Officer Nicholas O'Malley, 34, was arraigned Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court on manslaughter charges in the March shooting death of Stephenson King Jr., a carjacking suspect who was fleeing a traffic stop in a stolen vehicle. Dozens of fellow officers packed the courthouse in a show of solidarity; King's family watched silently from the gallery. It's the first time in over 30 years a Boston officer has faced criminal charges under similar circumstances — a milestone that cuts two very different ways depending on who you ask.

Mayor Michelle Wu formally endorsed Latoya Gayle, a first-time candidate and child care advocate, in her bid to unseat state Senator Nick Collins of South Boston. Collins has been one of Wu's most persistent Beacon Hill adversaries, and the mayor's involvement makes this race a proxy fight that's hard to ignore. Gayle, 47, has spent years pushing for child care reform through the nonprofit Neighborhood Villages, and her supporters argue she'll actually show up for constituents Collins has long neglected. Primary day is coming — watch this one closely.

Tucked inside the legislature's $1.56 billion surtax spending compromise is a quiet but consequential move: the 20-cent per-ride fee on Uber and Lyft trips — established in 2016 and set to expire in January 2027 — will be extended. The state pulled in $18.17 million from the fee in 2024. Some lawmakers had floated raising or redesigning it to direct more money to communities hit hardest by ride-hailing traffic, but for now the status quo survives.

Massachusetts increased spending with minority-owned and diverse businesses by more than 20% in fiscal year 2025, reaching $4.5 billion total, according to a new state Supplier Diversity Office report. But the headline number obscures real gaps: the state missed its benchmarks for LGBTQ+-owned businesses and saw a 12% drop in certified veteran-owned firms. Officials acknowledge that the current political climate may be discouraging some LGBTQ+ business owners from enrolling in public diversity programs at all.

Boston City Council — Operating Budget Deliberations Ongoing: The council delayed a vote on Mayor Wu's full city operating budget this week; expect continued hearings and amendments in the days ahead. Keep an eye on the council's schedule at boston.gov for public meeting times.

Alvin Campbell Rape Trial — Jury Deliberating: The jury in the Suffolk Superior Court trial of Alvin Campbell Jr. — accused of posing as an Uber driver to assault intoxicated women — resumed deliberations Friday after hearing closing arguments Thursday. A verdict could come today. Boston Globe →

Weekend Weather Heads-Up: Today is hot and sunny across Massachusetts — upper 80s to near 90 inland — but a storm system moves in Saturday afternoon, with scattered showers and gusty winds possible from around 4–5 p.m. onward. WCVB →

Full budget details →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Gary Gagnon (Unenrolled) — Sheriff, Franklin County — Filed: 6/4/2026
• Jose Candelario Gonzalez (Unenrolled) — House, 5th Hampden — Filed: 6/4/2026
• Stephen Foley (Unenrolled) — House, 5th Norfolk — Filed: 6/4/2026
• Luisa Cestari (Republican) — House, 5th Middlesex — Filed: 6/4/2026
• Alexander (Al) Ozonoff (Libertarian) — Auditor — Filed: 6/2/2026
• John Foy (Unenrolled) — City Councilor, Boston — Filed: 6/2/2026

Ballot Question Committees

• Safer Tech at LastTreeLaws.com — N/A, No office — Filed: 6/1/2026

OCPF →

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