Aidan Kearney, the Massachusetts blogger behind "Turtleboy," faced a judge in Dedham on Friday, pleading not guilty to 16 charges, including witness intimidation and conspiracy, in connection to the Karen Read murder trial. Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, in early 2022. Kearney, notorious for stirring the pot with his blog posts, was handed an early holiday break, being released on personal recognizance after the arraignment, as reported by the Boston Herald.
The blogger's presence in the courtroom signals a shift in his legal saga. Unlike his usual trademark turtle-themed attire, Kearney opted for a cream suit, projecting a newfound seriousness, drawing chuckles from supporters despite the severe accusations levied against him, the indictment includes eight counts of witness intimidation, three counts of conspiracy to intimidate witnesses, and five counts of picketing a witness, as noted by reports from CBS News.
Special Prosecutor Kenneth Mello stated that Kearney continues to encourage harassment of witnesses in the case, yet Kearney's attorney, Tim Bradl, staunchly defended his client's rights, "He's allowed to encourage them to speak out against what he sees as corruption, what he sees as mismanagement of the Read case." Bradl told the court, as per CBS News.
Kearney expressed his astonishment at the widespread support, "I’m blown away by the support, I feel like this issue has united left and right," Kearney said, insisting that his investigative work on the Read case is crucial for championing the First Amendment, framing the tension as a larger battle against government corruption and abuse, a sentiment sourced from an interview with the Boston Herald.
Additional charges have been brought against Jannell Webb, a police dispatcher, accused of collaborating with Kearney to similarly intimidate witnesses.
