Karen Read supporter denies witness intimidation with rubber ducks and fake $100 bills

The Karen Read murder case 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 has been placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and counterfeit $100 bills around town, but says he has a First Amendment right to support the defense theory that Read was framed in the polarizing murder case.

Read is now awaiting a new trial in January, accused of running over her boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving the Boston police officer to die in a snowstorm. Read’s lawyers argued that other officers were responsible for O’Keefe’s death. A judge declared a mistrial in June after finding that jurors were unable to reach 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 emblazoned 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 “They are crazy about ducks.”

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

“When I did it, 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 was framed. Alan Jackson told jurors that “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck.” The police report also mentioned the link between Jackson’s comments and the ducks.

“I wasn’t looking for any notoriety, nothing,” he added. “I know I’m doing the right thing and I’m on the right side of all of this.”

Schiffer’s attorney, Timothy Bradl, said he would move to have the charges dismissed on First Amendment grounds before the next trial date in November.

“This is what our country is about: coming together on the courthouse steps, speaking out against the government’s ridiculous overreach,” Bradl told the crowd. “What is happening here is viewpoint discrimination. They don’t like the message. The Canton police officers didn’t like the message… They should be ashamed. There is no crime here.”

The defense claimed that O’Keefe was killed inside the home of fellow Boston officer Brian Albert and then dragged outside. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from considering the officers as suspects.

Schiffer is among dozens of Read supporters who accuse state and local authorities of a widespread cover-up. Their demonstrations have led to furious clashes, especially in the city of Guangzhou, 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 contract work, is accused of placing some of the ducks outside a pizzeria run by Brian Albert’s brother, Canton Selectman Chris Albert. Other 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 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 off the court Wednesday, wearing a black T-shirt with a huge rubber duck on it. “Poor Rich didn’t do anything wrong. He dropped ducks 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.