Norfolk prosecutors dropped felony charges against blogger Aidan Kearney just before a deadline, ending the 2024 case.

Norfolk County prosecutors dropped felony witness intimidation and wiretapping charges against blogger Aidan Kearney, known as "Turtleboy," just before a court deadline to appoint a new prosecutor. The move follows the disqualification of two special prosecutors and the withdrawal of retired judge Robert Cosgrove, who was handling the case after a defamation lawsuit by Kearney’s ex-girlfriend and alleged victim, Lindsey Gaetani. The dismissal, filed as a Nolle Prosequi, ends the 2024 case, but two other witness intimidation charges from 2023 and 2025 remain active and are being prosecuted by Cosgrove. Kearney’s defense team calls the charges baseless and a violation of free speech, while Gaetani criticized the dismissal and urged an investigation into the special prosecutor system.