Thousands of fans have taken to social media in support of the Massachusetts State Police sergeant who leaked the chilling images of Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev‘s capture.
The Facebook page “Save Sgt. Sean Murphy” was backed by nearly 40,000 early Monday, a stunning outpouring for support for the embattled cop who was relieved of his duties Thursday for releasing pics of the dazed and blood-spattered Tsarnaev emerging from his hideout April 19.
The popularity of the Facebook page was reported by the Boston Herald on Sunday.
On Twitter, backers praised Murphy for risking his job to brazenly respond to Rolling Stone magazine’s August issue, which features Tsarnaev on the cover.
Critics argue the magazine glorified the young bomber by using a shot of him looking wholesomely tousled and surrounding his face with headline callouts to stories about Jay-Z and Willie Nelson.
Murphy released the classified manhunt pics to Boston Magazine, saying, “This guy is evil. This is the real Boston bomber. Not someone fluffed and buffed for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.”
One photo on the Facebook page shows the 25-year police vet posing with bombing victim Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs in the blast.
Bauman, 27, looking fit and healthy, stands on a pair of prosthetic legs and flashes a thumbs-up sign.
“Put THAT on your cover Rolling Stone,” one supporter wrote.
Murphy is scheduled to appear at a hearing Monday to determine his duty status.
Boston University Communication professor Tobe Berkovitz told the Herald the online campaign could have an impact on the panel’s decision.
“It shows the public is sympathetic for what he did,” Berkovitz said. “It can put pressure on public officials to basically cut him some slack.”
ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH VIDEO HERE
