One of New England’s most controversial prosecutors will soon be out of job following Tuesday’s election — after his tenure was dogged by controversy over his prosecution of Karen Read and the botched probe of a cop accused of killing Sandra Birchmore.
Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey, a Democrat, did not run again after four terms in office.
He’s set to be replaced by Democrat Djuna Perkins, who spent 10 years working as a prosecutor before going into private practice, according to a report by the Sun Chronicle.
Morrissey has come under fire for his prosecution of Read who faced two trials on allegations she killed her Boston cop boyfriend John O’Keefe by running him over with her car.
Her first trial ended with a hung jury and mistrial, and the second ended with an acquittal on murder charge and a conviction for drunk driving.
Morrissey was criticized for overcharging Read in a case that was based on an investigation that was riddled with inconsistencies.
Morrissey also came under fire for the fact his office declared Birchmore’s death a suicide.
The feds later launched their own investigation and charged disgraced ex-cop Matthew Farwell with killing Birchmore and staging it to look like a suicide, to keep her silent about her affair with the married cop.
Farwell is accused of having sex with Birchmore when she was just 15.
His arrest came over three years after Birchmore’s murder.
Farwell’s trial has been underway for five weeks. Jurors in his case could begin deliberating as early as Friday.
Perkins is slated to take office Jan. 1.
Morrissey’s office didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
