STOUGHTON, Mass. — Aidan Kearney professed his innocence to reporters, saying justice will prevail while leaving Stoughton District Court following his arraignment on witness intimidation charges on Wednesday.
“I should be free. I did nothing wrong,” said Kearney, a Massachusetts man who runs the blog “Turtleboy News,” while standing outside of the courthouse. A judge ordered him to have no contact with certain witnesses in the Karen Read murder case.
Kearney has been charged with eight counts of intimidation of a witness, juror, police, or court official and one count of conspiracy in connection with the ongoing Karen Read murder case. The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office appointed a special prosecutor Kenneth Mello, of Fall River, to investigate his alleged actions.
Kearney recounted to reporters the moments when police arrested him on Wednesday morning, and placed him in handcuffs. He said the arrest happened while his children were watching.
“They were actually waiting while my kids got on the bus so they made sure my kids saw it happen,” Kearney said. “That’s how depraved these individuals are.”
Wearing a “Free Karen Read” sweatshirt, Kearney spoke to reporters with some of his supporters behind him, who held the American flag and signs that read: “Free Karen Read” and “How dare they?”
“I’m here right now because I’m exposing corruption. I’m exposing what really happened to John O’Keefe, and the powerful, the well-connected people who murdered him and covered up his murder,” Kearney said. “And this what the state does to you when you do that.”
Kearney’s attorney argued Wednesday that his client has First Amendment rights.
“This is a gross exercise of state power. This is what fascism looks like. And as journalists we should all be concerned that this is what they do,” Kearney told reporters.
Read is charged with second-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. Read is accused of backing over O’Keefe and leaving him to die in a January 2022 blizzard outside a home in Canton.
Mello said Kearney harassed witnesses, and often filmed himself as he would try to confront them or call them at their homes, children’s sports games, or places of work. Kearney is also accused of sharing personal information online, including a state trooper’s phone number, while saying he would never stop.
“Ultimately justice will prevail and truth will prevail and they will never shut me up,” Kearney said. “They will never, ever, ever stop me from reporting the truth about what happened to John O’Keefe.”
When asked by a reporter if he has made $5 million off of this case, Kearney said, “What an absurd and ridiculous (question). I wish. I wish. No, I have not made $5 million off of this.”
Kearney then asked the reporter how much he earns.
“I’m a reporter too. How much you make?” Kearney asked the reporter.
“I was arrested for making money? No, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Next! Who’s this joker? Who is this clown? Who is this idiot?” Kearney said, referring to the reporter who asked him if he was profiting from this case.
Kearney said he is seeking an aggressive criminal defense lawyer to defend him.
“Because now we know they are going to try to lock me up for telling the truth and exposing corruption. That’s what they are going to try to do,” Kearney said.
“I don’t know who I’m going to pick yet. We are going to mount a loud, vociferous defense,” Kearney said.
“Reporting the news is not harassment. Asking questions is not harassment,” Kearney said, repeating that he “will not be silenced.”
Kearney also claimed during his interview that police are investigating attendees of a rally in Canton in July.
“Hundreds of innocent people are under investigation and they cannot arrest us all,” he told reporters.
He also said prosecutors are wrongly focused on charging him, while O’Keefe’s killer is on the loose.
Kearney referenced a Ford Edge vehicle that he claims was parked outside in close proximity to the area where O’Keefe’s body was found in January 2022.
“Two months later, here we are. Nothing has been done to find out who was driving the Ford Edge that was parked next to where a dead Boston Police officer was found. Nothing. And this is what they’re wasting their time with, me,” Kearney told reporters. “There is a man who murdered a Boston cop out there, and they’re doing nothing about it, and they’re coming after the only journalist who’s actually reporting what happened.”
“And I will not be intimidated. I will not be silenced. And we will continue on our journey for justice for John O’Keefe and for Karen Read,” Kearney said.
He told his supporters on those courthouse steps that investigators seized his personal items.
“They took my phones and my computer. So I’ve got to go get new stuff, but I’ll be back. They’re not going to silence me for long,” Kearney said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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