The Public Record

Commonwealth v. Rob Thomson (flyer case)

Contents · Charges

What they charged him with

Openings inventory

Emily See, Day 1

  • 2 counts criminal harassment — G.L. c. 265 § 43A
  • 3 counts witness intimidation — G.L. c. 268 § 13B
  • 21 counts violating a harassment-prevention order — G.L. c. 258E § 9

Dockets named in public notes: 2654CR000599; 2454CR1167; 2454CR1579; 2454CR1601

Friday, September 11, 2026 (court-watchers)

  • Docket 2654CR000599 — directed verdicts of NOT GUILTY on counts 2, 3, 5, and 6.
  • Same docket — required finding DENIED on counts 1 and 4. Those two remain.
  • The three 2024 dockets — status after Friday is unclear.
  • Motion to dismiss for discovery violations — DENIED after the judge called the violations serious and continuous.
  • Trial continues Monday, September 14, 2026, 9 a.m., Dedham District Court.

What each statute requires

265 § 43A

Willful, malicious pattern of conduct aimed at a specific person that seriously alarms them.

Problem in the paper

Aylward June 8, 2024 — Anne “not aware of the fliers”; Bill “not sure Rob knows who he is”; flyers outside the stay-away. Then he applied for two 43A counts citing Sheehy’s late “world burn” page.

268 § 13B

Willfully intimidate, harass, or retaliate against a witness, a person with information, court/police staff, someone at a proceeding, or their family, with intent or reckless disregard that it may interfere with a proceeding or punish them for taking part.

Problem in the paper

The homicide case ended with a November 2022 acquittal. Interference needs a live proceeding. Retaliation is the remaining theory. Hedberg already called the sign speech. Courthouse staff: the Dedham sign was there before 8 a.m., before the family arrived.

258E § 9

Violate a specific term of a signed harassment-prevention order after notice.

Problem in the paper

Aylward January 19, 2024 — “I reviewed the McInnis vs. Thomson HPO orders and determined that nothing posted violated the order.” May 2023 orders were dropped by agreement. QR-to-CBS (a story that already named her) was a theory in openings. Exact order PDFs are not on the public internet.

Directed verdict (Rule 25)

After the Commonwealth’s evidence the judge must enter not guilty if the proof is insufficient as a matter of law. That is what happened to counts 2, 3, 5, and 6 on 599. It is not a jury acquittal and not a discovery dismissal.