The high-profile Karen Read trial, which ended Wednesday with the 45-year-old woman acquitted of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, has thrust a key election into the spotlight. Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey, who took over the case after errors in the initial trial, is up for reelection next year.
Morrissey has faced criticism over the mistakes and high cost of the case. The lead investigator, Michael Proctor, was found to have shared case details with people outside law enforcement and made disparaging comments about Read. He was later suspended and fired from the police force.
The investigator’s comments led to a mistrial, prolonging Read’s case for another year. Because of the case and the mistakes surrounding it, Morrissey has had a political target on his back since.
Two fellow Democrats, Suffolk County District Attorney Craig MacLellan and former Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Djuna Perkins, have launched bids to challenge Morrissey for his office in the 2026 race.
Perkins called for Morrissey’s resignation in a Facebook video after a jury absolved Read of murder. She said “no experienced prosecutor would ever have charged Karen Read of second-degree murder” because there wasn’t enough compelling evidence for how the victim died. Also, Read was too intoxicated to form the intent necessary to charge her with murder.
She also criticized Morrissey for spending too much on Read’s case, saying he spent more than one-third of his annual operating budget on a special prosecutor and expert witnesses on the retrial.
“Rather than reassessing the evidence after the first trial and seeking a more pragmatic outcome in line with the evidence that would free up resources for other cases, D.A. Morrissey doubled and tripled down on using every resource possible to prove he was right rather than seeking justice,” she said.
MacLellan’s campaign has focused on his efforts to “serve the community” and education, which he believes “plays a major role in crime prevention.”
The Massachusetts GOP, which has struggled in the Democratic-led state with no House, Senate, or statewide executive seats, put out an open call on Thursday for candidates to run against Morrissey after a poll showed only 6% of county residents believe Read was guilty of manslaughter and just 4% believe Morrissey deserves reelection.
“POLL: Only 4% of Norfolk County voters believe Norfolk DA Michael Morrissey deserves re-election. Looking to fill position by Nov 2026,” the GOP state party posted on X. “Only Republicans need apply!”
The poll also found that just 9% believed the investigation was “full, thorough, and fair.”
The polling numbers are tough for Morrissey, who is in his fourth term as the county’s district attorney after being elected in 2010. No challengers appeared in his 2014, 2018, and 2022 reelection bids.
“It is impossible for me to see how he is going to be reelected in 2026 either by winning a Democratic primary or winning a general election,” pollster Brian Wynne told Politico.
A likely source of optimism for Morrissey could be his campaign bank account of $426,696, which far outweighs any of his challengers.
KAREN READ FOUND NOT GUILTY OF MURDERING HER POLICE OFFICER BOYFRIEND IN RETRIAL
Morrissey hasn’t given much comment on the verdict in Read’s case, which only found her guilty of drunk driving.
“The jury has spoken,” he told WBZ.