Four witnesses in Karen Read trial file lawsuit against her, ‘Turtleboy’

Four people who testified in the Karen Read case announced Thursday they are suing Karen Read and Aidan “Turtleboy” Kearney for defamation.

In the complaint filed in Massachusetts Superior Court, Jen McCabe, Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Brian Higgins describe how they were “abused and defamed” during and after their testimony in the high-profile murder trial.

Read was accused of striking O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV and leaving him to die alone in a blizzard outside of a house party in Canton at the home of fellow officer Brian Albert on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking. Read’s second criminal trial, ended in June with a jury finding her not guilty of murder and manslaughter.

During her two trials for O’Keefe’s death, Read’s legal team painted a sinister picture of police misconduct and theorized that O’Keefe was, in fact, killed by colleagues, followed by a vast cover-up.

Blogger Aidan Kearney, “Turtleboy”, relentlessly questioned the prosecution in Karen Read’s trial, echoing the claim Read had been framed in a cover-up. He also attended Read’s trial and listened to testimony from the press bench.

“For years, we have done the right thing by assisting authorities in the hope that John’s family would find justice and peace. As a result, we and our families have been subjected to relentless false accusations, harassment, and intimidation based on a deliberate campaign of lies,” Jennifer McCabe, Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Brian Higgins said in a joint statement. “These lies have torn our community apart and caused immense suffering. We are bringing this lawsuit to hold the defendants accountable for what they have done to us, the O’Keefe family, and our community. In doing so, we hope to protect future witnesses from experiencing the devastation and cruelty that we have endured.”

McCabe’s lawyer claims that Kearney consistently spread “elaborate and false narratives” regarding Jen McCabe, Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Brian Higgins because “doing so attracted attention, personal notoriety, and a buying audience.”

“Kearney has estimated his monthly income to be $45,000-$50,000, which he attributes to his defamatory discussions of the Read case,” McCabe’s attorney states. “He deliberately stokes social anxiety and political discord in his listeners, because distrust in government and cultural tribalism motivates those listeners to buy his products.”

Read’s defense team asserted that there was no collision between O’Keefe and the 6,000-pound (2,700-kilogram) SUV driven by Read, arguing instead that the crew of tightly knit local and state cops were shielding one of their own and framing her.

In the suit, the four witnesses describe how they withstood harassment at their places of work, homes and even at public events with their children due to the case.

Brian Albert confirmed on the stand that he traded in his cell phone for a new one the day before a court order was issued to preserve it. He said he did not know all of the data on that phone would be factory reset and destroyed.

Brian Higgins, a federal agent, acknowledged at trial destroying his phone and SIM card afterward and disposing of them in two different locations on a military base.

Jennifer McCabe infamously Googled, “hos long to die in cold,” on the morning of O’Keefe’s death. During Read’s second trial, McCabe was asked about the discovery of O’Keefe’s body and the preceding events. She said that Read and O’Keefe were invited to a get-together at 34 Fairview Road in Canton. She saw Read’s Lexus pull up, but she says neither she nor O’Keefe ever came in. McCabe told special prosecutor Hank Brennan that O’Keefe never texted her during the time in question.

O’Keefe’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Read in Plymouth Superior Court last summer after her first trial ended with a hung jury and Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone declaring a mistrial.

In September, Read’s team announced plans to file her own lawsuit against Brian Albert, Nicole Albert, Brian Higgins, Jennifer McCabe, and Matthew McCabe, as well as state troopers assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, the Canton Police Department.

Boston 25 News has reached out to Karen Read’s legal team for comment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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