The controversial blogger Aidan Kearney was in Norfolk Superior Court for his witness intimidation case, tied to the Karen Read murder investigation, Tuesday. Inside, his attorney made the argument that the state is intentionally withholding documents to slow the case down. Outside, Kearney was confronted by a Youtuber from Florida who set off a Facebook Live battle.
Aidan Kearney, the controversial blogger known as "Turtleboy," appeared in court Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing in connection with the murder case against Karen Read.
Kearney has extensively covered the case in hundreds of blog posts, bringing heightened attention to Read's claims that she is being framed for the killing of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, in a wide-ranging coverup.
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Police arrested Kearney in October on charges of intimidation and conspiracy, with prosecutors accusing him of harassing witnesses in the case. He has since faced more charges of witness intimidation and conspiracy, and had his bail revoked after being accused of assaulting a woman he was dating. Prosecutors say that woman's allegations are at the heart of more charges of harassing a witness and intercepting wire or oral communication.
Kearney has pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence.
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More on the Karen Read case
In court Tuesday, Kearney and his attorney, Timothy Bradl, accused the state of slowing the process down by withholding critical pieces of discovery.
A judge ordered that a lot of those missing documents be filed by May 8.
"They have absolutely no intention of bringing me to trial, cause they know this case can't succeed on the merits," Kearney said outside Norfolk Superior Court. "It's literally just running out the clock and keeping me on thin ice by having me out on bail. That's the whole purpose of this."
A Massachusetts State Police affidavit released in January alleges that Read fed confidential information to Kearney, with the two communicating directly in over 40 hours of phone calls, as well as through other means.
This information allegedly included personal details about witnesses in the case, autopsy photographs, crime scene photographs, images of her car, and the 911 call made when O'Keefe's body was found.
"The only crime here is the robbery of privacy," Bradl said in a statement at the time.
"Turtleboy does not reveal sources," Kearney wrote on his website the same day. "However, there is nothing wrong or criminal about seeking out people close to Karen Read in order to write a story about her. At no point did Karen Read ever direct content on the Turtleboy website."
Ken Mello, a special prosecutor brought in to handle the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office's allegations against Kearney, disputed this argument outside the courthouse.
"You cannot hide behind the shield of a journalist to be an activist, and the commonwealth feels that's what's happened here," he said.
"Free Karen Read" merchandise with the "Turtleboy" logo remains available for sale on Kearney's website; past stories have said proceeds go to a fund for Read's legal defense.
Some of those articles of clothing were on display Tuesday as protesters flanked Kearney outside the courthouse.
"In my opinion, he has helped Karen Read, in her innocence, tremendously," said one supporter, Jennifer O'Donnell.
"To me, the movement is one and the same: Turtleboy and Karen Read," added another, Jean Allan.
There were also fireworks, with a self-proclaimed YouTuber from Florida shouting, "Shame on you, Aidan."
Jury selection in the Karen Read trial began last week and will resume Wednesday.
