BOSTON — As suspended Trooper Michael Proctor again faces the Mass State Police disciplinary trial board on Thursday, his family is speaking out and defending the statie, while ripping Karen Read’s defense team for “creating false narratives and distracting the public.”

Proctor has been suspended without pay since last summer for his offensive texts about Read, a murder defendant accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston cop John O’Keefe.

Proctor — who in texts called Read a “whack job” and a “babe,” and texted “No nudes so far” to colleagues while searching her phone, and wrote “Hopefully she kills herself” — was suspended following the first Read trial last year. Proctor could face permanent discipline.

Now as Proctor heads to the third hearing day in front of the MSP disciplinary trial board, his family has released a statement in support of the trooper and accused Read’s defense team of using Proctor to deflect from evidence.

“At the end of the day, a beloved police officer and honorable man was killed,” his wife Elizabeth said in a statement. “The Prosecution believes it’s an open and shut case, and the defense knows this, too.

“So, their tactic is to put my husband, the lead investigator, on trial for sending texts on his personal phone to his friends and family,” his wife added. “The Karen Read defense team is unabashedly creating false narratives and distracting the public and potential jurors from clear-cut evidence.”

It was recently announced that all aspects of the federal investigation involving this case has been closed.

Proctor testified during the first Read trial that the texts on his personal phone were unprofessional and regrettable, but he said they didn’t affect the integrity of the investigation.

“Michael — and so many others in his line of work — see horrible things every day and may at times need to vent personally,” his sister Courtney said. “He saw a fellow officer die a horrible, tragic death. Who among us has not said something regrettable in moments of stress, shock, or sadness? And how would you feel if the contents of your personal phone were questionably released to the public without full context?”

Proctor’s wife said the family has been tormented for years because of the case.

“Unfortunately, we know that by speaking out, more harassment will be unleashed on our family,” his wife said. “But we can no longer stand by and silently watch Michael’s character be attacked and disparaged so unfairly. After exhaustive investigations at both the state and federal level, and a grand jury, only one person has been charged with a crime, the defendant Karen Read.”

After State Police finished its internal affairs investigation into Proctor, the department convened a trial board as the next step in the disciplinary process. The trial board is out of the public’s eye, as Proctor could face permanent discipline.

At the end of any IA investigation, the department may pursue charges that would be adjudicated by a State Police Trial Board. The board makes disciplinary recommendations to the superintendent, who determines the final outcome.

“A State Police Trial Board shall hear cases regarding violations of Rules, Regulations, Policies, Procedures, Orders, or Directives,” reads the Department’s Rules and Regulations.

“The Trial Board shall enter a determination of ‘Guilty’ or ‘Not Guilty’ for each charge/specification,” the rules and regulations state. “In the event that the Trial Board finds guilt by a preponderance of the evidence on one or more of the charges, the Trial Board shall consider the evidence presented by the Department prosecutor pertaining to the accused member’s prior offenses/disciplinary history, and shall make recommendations for administrative action.”

The trial board forwards its findings to the Lieutenant Colonel/Deputy Superintendent.

The department relieved Proctor of duty on July 1, the very same day a mistrial was declared in the Read case. Proctor was transferred from the Norfolk DA’s Detective Unit to field services though he was ineligible to work. The State Police convened a duty status hearing, and suspended him without pay effective July 8.

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