https://gogetfunding.com/free-speech-in-medford-massachusetts-legal-defense-fund/
On January 31, 2017 there was a trial in Cambridge District Court for "witness intimidation," a serious felony charge against an innocent man who operates a blog that is of great public interest. The phony "victim" - Medford City Council President Richard F. Caraviello, claimed that the blog has intimidated him from testifying about something that he never saw! It was Caraviello's way of attempting to silence a journalist and was a gross fracturing of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
On January 31, 2017 the Honorable Judge Michele Hogan found the real victim in this case innocent. Joe Viglione was found NOT GUILTY in Cambridge District Court on that date. Free speech was back in business, but city hall did accomplish something: it cost the journalist thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars in legal fees. Which is exactly what Caraviello and city hall wanted to do. After the trial Caraviello defamed Viglione saying he needs to be on "medication," and on March 28th, 2017 Caraviello's misconduct continued as he phoned the police on Viglione who was legitimately ready to tape the city council meeting on Facebook live. A complaint on the open meeting law violation that is alleged is now at city hall (time stamped July 7, 2017) and will be reviewed by the office of the attorney general thirty days from that date.
Joe Viglione is asking for help with the legal bills. That is why this Go Get Funding campaign page exists.
The Medford Info Central dot com blog keeps the people in that municipality informed - which, purportedly, is part of the reason why the false charges were filed, Its popularity is on the rise. The page was at over 890,000 page views prior to the trial in January of 2017, and is now at a staggering 1,013,940 as of 2:17 pm July 11, 2017. It terrifies Medford city government as the author utilizes public records requests to gather information that Medford Massachusetts City Hall does not want revealed.
The phony trial was "political payback" for the news outlet revealing things city hall does NOT want revealed.
The Medford Police Department initiated the phony charges on December 8, 2015, which was five days after the journalist, Joe Viglione, filed a December 3, 2015 public records request with the police and the high school on allegations regarding a male teacher and a female student allegedly having an illicit affair that purportedly / allegedly was swept under the rug; there was also an issue of bomb-sniffing dogs allegedly being removed in an inappropriate fashion at the high school included in that public records request.
On December 1, 2015 Superior Court Chief Justice Judith Fabricant wrote to Viglione regarding a complaint he made on Medford Mayor Stephanie Muccini-Burke's husband, Middlesex Superior Court Assistant Clerk Brian S. Burke. Mr. Burke called Viglione a "Motherfxxxr" at the Chevalier Theater in October of 2015 and attempted to censor Viglione and his video camera from taping front row center which: a)Viglione was authorized to do and b)was fair game as the night before the candidates had decided the front row would be open. The Middlesex Superior Court Clerk had no right interfering in the taping of a public event.
The author has already removed the former mayor's uncle from the board of directors of the Medford Housing Authority by reporting to then-Governor Deval Patrick's office that the governor had appointed a man who was related to the Mayor of Medford. Within two weeks the mayor's uncle was removed. They are harassing and intimidating the defendant in the harshest and most unjust way all for exercising his First Amendment right to free speech and freedom of the press.