BOSTON (Court TV) — A federal judge has refused to dismiss charges against a former police officer in Massachusetts, meaning he will now stand trial on charges that he murdered his mistress and her unborn baby.
Matthew Farwell (Stoughton Police Department via AP)
Matthew Farwell is charged with killing Sandra Birchmore, who was eight to 10 weeks pregnant in Feb. 2021 when her body was found. Birchmore had been in a secret relationship with Farwell that began when Birchmore was 15 years old, according to the federal indictment. At the time, Birchmore was part of a youth program with the Soughton Police Department, in which Farwell was an officer.
Farwell has pleaded not guilty to the charges. In a motion asking for the charges to be dismissed, Farwell noted that Birchmore’s death was originally ruled a suicide by hanging and that no charges were filed against the defendant for more than three and a half years. The motion argues that the indictment lacks enough substantial information to justify the charges…