Two people have been charged with assault after a heated confrontation involving the blogger known as "Turtleboy" outside a bar in Canton, Massachusetts, on Sunday.
Police were called to break up the fight outside CF McCarthy’s and D&E Pizza Sunday evening. NBC10 Boston cameras captured Aidan Kearney, the controversial blogger, on the scene on Washington Street.
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This comes as tensions in the town are elevated over the high-profile Karen Read trial. Read is charged with second-degree murder, accused of striking her police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe with her SUV in January 2022. Her defense team alleges that she is the victim of a conspiracy involving a law enforcement coverup.
Kearney has covered Read's case extensively, advocating on her behalf, and is facing legal troubles of his own - he is accused of intimidating and harassing witnesses related to the case.
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Cellphone video shot by Kearney's girlfriend shows the confrontation, which includes a woman approaching Kearney and ripping his phone out of his hands. She confronts him, saying "enough is enough," calling him names, cursing at bystanders and saying that he is harassing her family, referring to the Alberts.
"Why are you so involved in my family's life? Why don't you mind your own business?" she asked.
"Because they killed John O'Keefe," Kearney fires back, pushing a theory put forward by the defense that O'Keefe was killed by members of the Albert family who then used their law enforcement connections to cover it up. O'Keefe's body was found outside the home of Brian and Nicole Albert, though the prosecution maintains he was never inside and have denied the claims about the Alberts.
Watch the Karen Read trial live on nbcboston.com, NECN, NBC Boston streaming platforms (including Roku, Peacock and Samsung TV) and NBC10 Boston's YouTube page. Every night of the trial at 7 p.m., come back for analysis and more.
Email questions to canton.confidential@nbcuni.com.
Canton police confirmed on Monday that two Canton residents have been charged with assault and battery on Kearney after Sunday's scuffle. They were identified as Jillian Daniels and James Farris.
Daniels has ties to the Albert family, and according to statements made in court by Trooper Michael Proctor, the former lead investigator of the case, Daniels is also close friends with his sister, Courtney. NBC10 Boston has attempted to reach out to Daniels for comment and have not heard back.
Farris told NBC10 Boston he had no comment on the situation.
Kearney's girlfriend, Meredith O'Neil, said the two were having dinner at CF McCarthy's, one of the locations Read went out drinking the night before John O'Keefe died, when the situation escalated.
“I’ve been here before without issue, you know, wearing ‘Free Karen Read’ stuff without any issue," she said.
The tensions came ahead of what could be the final week of Read's trial. The defense rested its case Monday afternoon, and closing arguments are expected on Tuesday.
