DEDHAM, Mass. — A Norfolk County Grand Jury has issued two additional indictments to Aidan Kearney, the central Massachusetts blogger who calls himself ‘Turtleboy.’
The new indictments were unsealed Friday morning. Kearney faces one count of wiretapping and a new count of witness intimidation in connection with an encounter he had with a Medfield woman on Dec. 23rd, 2023.
The indictment says that Kearney willfully intimidated a witness with either the intent to, or “reckless disregard” for, “the fact that it may impede, obstruct, delay, prevent or otherwise interfere with a criminal” proceeding.
The new charges were made public just hours before Kearney’s scheduled hearing at Norfolk Superior Court about whether Kearney should remain in jail.
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Kearney was being held without bail for allegedly assaulting a former girlfriend. He is accused of going to her home after he learned she’d been summoned to testify in front of a grand jury, shoving her, and threatening her.
That incident occurred hours after Kearney was arraigned on 16 felony charges for intimidation of a witness, conspiracy to intimidate a witness, and picketing a witness.
During Friday afternoon’s hearing, a judge decided to release Kearney, on personal recognizance. He was not required to post any cash bail. He was ordered back to court on April 23rd for a pre-trial conference.
Kearney has been an outspoken advocate of the “Free Karen Read” movement in connection to the death of former Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe in Canton.
He says he’s being targeted for his reporting and activism in the Read case and argues that his First Amendment rights are being violated.
Kearney was greeted by supporters outside the court in Dedham on Friday, after the hearing.
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Read is accused of backing over her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, in Canton, MA, and leaving him to die in a January 2022 blizzard.
She was charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision in connection with O’Keefe’s death.
Kearney has been accused of intimidating people the Norfolk County DA’s office has identified as witnesses in Read’s second-degree murder case.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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