Boston Bomber News Update: Cop Who Leaked Photo of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Stripped of Badge, Gun

The Massachusetts State Police photographer who leaked photos of the accused Boston bomber's surrender was stripped of his gun and badge on Wednesday and placed on "desk duty" pending a full investigation of the case.

The action came during a closed hearing before a three-person panel for Sgt. Sean Murphy, a 25-year veteran state trooper, reports USA Today.

Sgt. Murphy will be restricted to desk duty while the department conducts an investigation into his unauthorized release of the photos that will last several more weeks, said officials.

Murphy released the photos in response to the latest "Rolling Stone" issue, which features Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its cover that he said glamorized terrorism and diminished the tragedy of the Boston marathon bombings.

At a press conference after the hearing, Murphy's son praised his father's action saying. "If I could be one fourth of the man he is now I'll be very happy with my life," said Connor Murphy, according to ABC News.

The public has also united in Murphy's defense. A "Save Sgt. Sean Murphy" group on Facebook has gained over 64,000 "likes," while another petition called Support Sergeant Sean Murphy was created to raise $10,000 for Murphy to thank him for releasing the photos.

The unauthorized photos, which were taken by Murphy, himself, depict a bloodied and disheveled Tsarnaev on the night that he was discovered hiding on a boat in Watertown, Mass. The gory behind-the-scenes photos are a sharp contrast to the Rolling Stone image that Murphy says "glamorizes the face of terror" and could incite others to do something destructive for fame.

"As a professional law-enforcement officer of 25 years, I believe that the image that was portrayed by Rolling Stone magazine was an insult to any person who has every worn a uniform of any color or any police organization or military branch, and the family members who have ever lost a loved one serving in the line of duty," wrote Murphy, a tactical photographer, in a statement to Boston Magazine on Friday.

"The truth is that glamorizing the face of terror is not just insulting to the family members of those killed in the line of duty, it also could be an incentive to those who may be unstable to do something to get their face on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine," Murphy said.