Karen Read, Turtleboy facing defamation lawsuit from witnesses in her murder case

Four witnesses who faced a media firestorm over their involvement in Karen Read’s sensational murder case filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Read and Turtleboy blogger Aidan Kearney of a “multi-year conspiracy” to defame and “torment” them.

Jennifer McCabe, Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Brian Higgins allege the pair “orchestrated a coordinated campaign” to falsely implicate them in the 2022 death of Read’s boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. 

Prosecutors had accused Read of drunkenly backing her SUV into O’Keefe, who was found unresponsive outside Brian Albert’s Canton home following a house party early on Jan. 29, 2022. Read and her lawyers staunchly maintained she was framed, pointing instead to Brian Albert, his sister-in-law McCabe, his nephew Colin, and his friend Higgins. 

Kearney, the de facto face of the “Free Karen Read” movement, promoted the defense team’s coverup claims and is facing witness intimidation charges for his confrontational reporting on the case. Authorities later found that Read spent hours on the phone with Kearney and allegedly leaked him non-public information leading up to her 2024 mistrial.

Jurors in Read’s retrial acquitted her of murder and manslaughter charges the following year, convicting her only of a drunk driving misdemeanor. No one else has been charged with killing O’Keefe.

McCabe, Higgins, and the Alberts “are now and have always been entirely innocent of any involvement in O’Keefe’s tragic death,” their lawsuit states. 

In a joint statement, the witnesses said they have long “done the right thing” by working with 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,” they added. “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.”

Boston.com has reached out to Read’s defense team for comment on the complaint. Mark Bederow, an attorney representing Kearney in his pending witness intimidation cases, said the blogger “has been aware of this possibility for a long time” and will defend himself “vigorously.” 

“This lawsuit is the latest attempt to relitigate the question of whether Karen Read was responsible for John O’Keefe’s death, which the scientific and credible evidence clearly establishes she wasn’t,” he said in a statement. “Truth is an absolute defense to defamation and this move by the plaintiffs will afford Mr. Kearney the forum to explain exactly why he said what he said about who allegedly is responsible for Mr. O’Keefe’s death and the alleged cover up.”

Read previously sued several witnesses and investigators she claims “concocted a plan” to frame her, including Brian Albert and Jennifer McCabe, their respective spouses, and Brian Higgins. That lawsuit remains pending in federal court. Separately, Read still faces a wrongful death suit from O’Keefe’s family. 

With Thursday’s complaint, the Alberts, McCabe, and Higgins bring claims of defamation, civil conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among others. 

“Our clients testified bravely and publicly because it was the right thing to do,” said Chris Mattei, an attorney for the plaintiffs. “When witnesses are abused and defamed simply for doing their civic duty, their lives are shattered and our entire justice system is put at risk. This lawsuit seeks to right those wrongs.”

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.