Date of Offense
Offense(s)
Official Statement
The defense’s argument for adding Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox to the Brady List is centered on allegations that he made a false or materially misleading public statement regarding his involvement in the Karen Read case. Specifically, Commissioner Cox publicly claimed that he had “nothing to do” with the case and did not even know the officer associated with it; however, the defense contends that this statement is contradicted by documentary evidence, including a February 2024 email from the FBI referencing both Cox and Officer Kelly Dever in connection with the case, as well as Cox’s official calendar listing a meeting with Dever the following day. The defense maintains that these contradictions demonstrate dishonesty and a lack of candor—behaviors that directly undermine an officer’s credibility under Brady v. Maryland and subsequent case law. Because the Brady doctrine requires that prosecutors disclose any information that could impeach a witness’s credibility, the defense asserts that Cox’s alleged misrepresentations meet the criteria for inclusion on the Brady List. They further argue that such conduct, if left unaddressed, would erode public confidence in law enforcement integrity and the fairness of criminal proceedings.
