A man accused of peppering homes and business with rubber ducks and fake $100 bills bearing messages supporting Karen Read now faces criminal charges — the latest twist in a high-profile case that has deeply divided a Boston suburb.
Richard Schiffer Jr. is charged with witness intimidation, criminal harassment and littering for his alleged role in the incidents, the Stoughton District Court told CNN. He was set to appear in court today in the criminal matter, which some area residents are calling “Duckgate.”
Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, by striking him with her Lexus SUV and leaving him outside to die in a blizzard in January 2022. His battered body was found in the snow outside the Canton home of a fellow Boston police officer.
Read’s attorneys argue she was framed as part of a conspiracy to protect people at the Fairview Road house that night. They allege someone inside the home fatally beat O’Keefe, dumped his body on the lawn and then conspired through fabricated evidence and false testimony to frame Read.
Read has pleaded not guilty and her trial ended in a mistrial in July. A retrial is set to begin in January.
The case has spawned a rabid group of supporters who believe Read is innocent. Some have held protests outside the courthouse, carrying signs saying “Free Karen Read,” while others have taken more extreme measures.
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And in a recent statement of facts, Canton police accused Schiffer of leaving rubber ducks and fake currency with messages outside homes and businesses belonging to key witnesses in the case.
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The rubber ducks appear to be a reference to a statement at a pre-trial hearing in January, when defense attorney Alan Jackson told the court, “If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck,” police said.
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Rubber ducks also were found outside the home of Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator on the case.
Proctor has been accused of missteps in the investigation, and has admitted he sent a series of sexist and offensive texts about Read in a private group chat, calling her a “whack job,” mocking her medical issues and telling co-workers he found “no nudes” while searching her phone for evidence.
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Police said the rubber ducks and fake $100 bills have helped spur a social movement that has harassed witnesses by implying “they cannot ‘duck the truth’ about John O’Keefe’s death.”
In an online fundraiser seeking help with his legal fees, Schiffer admitted to putting rubber ducks around Canton and surrounding areas.
“Through the First Amendment and my right to free speech, I expressed my opinion and belief that Karen Read is innocent. The fundamental right of free speech is afforded to us by the Constitution of the United States,” he wrote.
“Through the First Amendment and my right to free speech, I expressed my opinion and belief that Karen Read is innocent. The fundamental right of free speech is afforded to us by the Constitution of the United States,” he wrote.
Does the First Amendment cover bath toys?
Anything can be a symbol.
How would you feel if you found an index card on your front door? Blank except for the letters “KKK.”
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I’m white and living in the UK, I’d think a friend was messing with me. Items can be a threat in the right culture and context.
The First Amendment also protects art but does it protect the placement of rubber ducks? Do rubber ducks count as witness harassment, which isn’t covered by the First Amendment?
FYI, the KKK went after anyone, Black or not, who opposed them.
I guess we can add bath toys to the list of things cops are afraid of
