Karen Read filed a lawsuit against Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police, alleging misconduct and negligence in the investigation that led to her prosecution for the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe.

Read was acquitted last year after two widely publicized murder trials related to O'Keefe's death. The case drew significant media attention and public scrutiny of the investigation and prosecution.

The lawsuit alleges that officers involved in investigating the case exchanged racist and misogynistic messages, and accuses the departments of creating and tolerating what Read's legal team characterizes as a culture of bias and corruption.

Read appeared on NBC's TODAY show Friday with her attorneys Alan Jackson and Charles Waters to discuss the lawsuit. "This was always our plan, that I had to save my own life first," Read said, explaining her decision to file the civil action after her criminal proceedings concluded.

Read stated that she felt compelled to pursue legal action, saying she "had to fight for my freedom for years" and knew she would not be able to simply move on from her experience with the investigation and prosecution. The lawsuit seeks to hold the police departments accountable for what Read alleges were serious procedural and ethical violations during the investigation.