Aidan Kearney, the controversial blogger known as "Turtleboy," was released on personal recognizance Friday after facing 16 new charges brought against him over his alleged conduct in discussing with the murder case against Karen Reed.
It was the second set of charges he's facing — the indictment moved the case to Norfolk Superior Court, which had police tape outside in anticipation of a similar crowd of people to ones that have supported Kearney and Read at past court appearances.
Kearney, a 41-year-old from Holden, has been an outspoken critic of the investigation into Read, who's been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, in Canton last January. As he's claimed that Read was framed — which prosecutors deny — he's painted a picture of a vast coverup involving several people who were at the house outside of which O'Keefe was found dead.
Prosecutors, and with the latest charges, a grand jury, allege that Kearney worked with a police dispatcher to intimidate three people, including a Massachusetts State Police investigator working on the case. The dispatcher is also facing a conspiracy charge.
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Kearney is also accused of witness intimidation and picketing a witness./ Kearney vehemently denies the allegations against him, and his attorney has said his actions are protected by the First Amendment.
Much of Friday's hearing centered on a request from attorney Kenneth Mello, the special prosecutor brought in to bring the charges in the case, seeking additional conditions on Kearney's bail.
Kearney was first arrested back in October on multiple counts of intimidation of a witness, juror or law enforcement official and a single count of conspiracy, and was released on personal recognizance since his arraignment in district court with a requirement that he not have contact with anyone tied to the Read case.
"It's clear that Mr. Kearney is encouraging his minions, his followers … to continue to harass witnesses" through statements like "read between the lines," Mello said.
But the judge pressed Mello on what power state law gives him to enforce restraint on a defendant's speech without the defendant's consent.
Ultimately, the judge let Kearney out on his own recognizance, with no new conditions imposed.
"I am hamstrung at least with the authority given to me by the commonwealth," the judge said, adding that Kearney "knows that if he commits a crime, he'll be back in front of the court in quick order."
Kearney's next court date was set: a Feb. 16 pretrial conference, followed by an April 23 pretrial hearing.
