Karen Read supporter denies intimidating witnesses with rubber ducks and fake $100 bills

BOSTON — The Karen Read murder case has inspired crowds of pink-clad supporters, divided a Massachusetts town and provided juicy content for true crime podcasters. Now, rubber ducks are in the mix.

On Wednesday, one of Read’s ardent supporters pleaded not guilty to witness intimidation, harassment and littering. Richard Schiffer Jr. admits he placed dozens of yellow rubber ducks and counterfeit $100 bills around the city, but says he has a First Amendment right to support the defense theory that Read been trapped in the polarizing murder case.

Read now awaits a retrial in January, accused of ramming her boyfriend John O’Keefe with his SUV and leaving the Boston police officer to die in a snowstorm. Read’s attorneys argued that other law enforcement officers were responsible for O’Keefe’s death. A judge declared a mistrial in June after finding that jurors had not reached an agreement.

Schiffer, 65, did not speak during his brief appearance in Stoughton District Court, but greeted several dozen supporters outside. Several wore T-shirts adorned with rubber ducks, while some carried American flags or signs supporting Read. One woman brought her pet parrot, who wore a cape with the words “Quack Quack”, while another person had a huge flag with the words “Are They Crazy Duck”.

“I’m overwhelmed by everyone’s support,” Schiffer said before opening a bag someone handed him. It contained a silver duck.

“When I did this, I didn’t think it would go this far,” he said to shouts of “We Love You.”

Schiffer said he came up with the idea for the ducks after thinking about a defense attorney’s closing argument that Read had been framed. Alan Jackson told jurors that “if he walks like a duck and talks like a duck, he’s a duck.” The police report also mentioned the connection between Jackson’s comments and the ducks.

“I wasn’t looking for any notoriety whatsoever,” he added. “I know I’m doing the right thing and I’m on the right side of this.”

Schiffer’s attorney, Timothy Bradl, said he will seek dismissal of the charges on First Amendment grounds before the next court date in November.

“This is what our country is all about, coming together on the courthouse steps, speaking out against the ridiculous excesses of government,” Bradl told the crowd. “What is happening here is viewpoint discrimination. They don’t like the message. The Canton cops don’t like the message… They should be embarrassed. There is no crime here.

The defense alleged that O’Keefe was actually killed at the home of fellow Boston officer Brian Albert and then dragged outside. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient stranger” who spared them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects.

Schiffer is one of dozens of Read supporters who accuse state and local law enforcement of a widespread cover-up. Their protests gave rise to violent clashes, notably in the town of Canton where the murder took place, between those who support Read and others who believe she is guilty.

Schiffer, who owns Canton Fence and said he knows virtually everyone in town through his work as a contractor, is accused of placing some ducks in front of a pizzeria run by Brian Albert’s brother, Canton Selectman Chris Albert. More ducks appeared in O’Keefe’s neighborhood.

Also facing charges of witness intimidation is blogger Aidan Timothy Kearney, better known as “Turtleboy,” whose prolific posts have raised doubts about the prosecution and rallied supporters to his cause.

“An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us,” Turtleboy said outside the field Wednesday, wearing a black T-shirt with a huge rubber duck on it. “Poor Rich didn’t do anything wrong at all. He let ducks go with words they didn’t like…The First Amendment has been attacked by the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and we will never stop fighting.”