Earlier today, Massachusetts State Police have apprehended Aidan Kearney, the creator of the contentious "Turtleboy" blog according to Masslive. Kearney is charged with six counts of witness intimidation and one count of conspiracy, as per Stoughton District Court records. Special prosecutor Kenneth Mello is leading an investigation linked to allegations of witness intimidation in the murder case involving Karen Read.
Karen Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, in January 2022, and has been a focal point of Kearney’s recent publications. Kearney insists that Read is a victim of a cover-up schemed by law enforcement and other entities associated with the case. The blogger frequently showed up to pretrial hearings donning a "Free Karen Read" hoodie, which he was seen wearing as he was brought into custody on October 11th.
In August, Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey, whose office is prosecuting Read, issued a video berating the proliferation of unreliable narratives and witness harassment. "We hold court trials not internet speculations," stated Morrissey. "The internet isn't bound by rules of evidence or perjury punishments and it doesn't have the full picture." This was reported by WCVB.
The arrest of Kearney spotlights the influential role of social media platforms, such as his blog, and X, previously known as Twitter, in notable litigation. Kearney has publicly criticized the law enforcement's probe, vocalized his support for Read, and accused officials of wrongfully labeling his peaceful protests as "witness intimidation," according to MassLive.
The Read court hearing is slated for March 12, 2024.
