The Renton Police Department's efforts to uncover the identity of a Web filmmaker known only as Mrfuddlesticks has been put on hold by a King County Superior Court judge.

Judge James Cayce, who on July 28 signed a search warrant ordering Google to turn over the real name of Mrfuddlesticks, has blocked his original ruling from progressing any further. On Tuesday, Cayce issued a stay after Seattle attorney Harish Bharti filed a motion to block release of the name.

"This was the free speech right of the cartoonist," Bharti said. "To stay anonymous is a constitutional right of this person."

Renton police made headlines last week when it was disclosed that detectives had obtained the search warrant to learn the name of Mrfuddlesticks. The warrant was directed at Google because the videos were posted on Google-owned YouTube. The warrant signed by Cayce accused the mysterious filmmaker of cyberstalking by directing the videos at the city and its personnel.

Cayce will review the case again on Aug. 19 and make a decision that day or shortly after, his bailiff said on Tuesday.

Renton police Officer Ryan Rutledge wrote in the warrant that the case is being pursued as cyberstalking because much of what was broadcast was intended to "display lewd content an/or lewd acts, indecent language that is meant to embarrass and emotionally torment the victim." The main character of the videos is a police officer who talks about Police Department issues in a robotic voice. Some current department members and city employees are referenced in the videos, according to the warrant.

The videos focus on the new South King County misdemeanant jail, called the SCORE facility, internal investigations, department morale and alleged sex acts involving Police Department employees, the warrant said.

Renton Police Chief Kevin Milosevich said the videos may have been created by someone who had access to internal-affairs information, possibly a police officer or someone closely associated with the department.

"My job is completed," Bharti said Tuesday in response to the judge's stay. "The idea was to stop the disclosure."