Episode Details

23-year-old Sandra Birchmore was eight to ten weeks pregnant when she was found dead in her Massachusetts apartment. Her death was initially ruled a suic*de, but federal prosecutors now allege that former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell killed her to prevent her from exposing years of alleged sexual abuse and misconduct.

In this episode of Five Things You Need to Know, criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Joshua Ritter breaks down the people, timeline, and evidence at the center of the case. Why is the original suic*de finding now in dispute? What must prosecutors prove to convict Farwell in federal court?

Farwell has pleaded not guilty. Josh examines the allegations, the defense’s challenges, and the questions jurors will have to answer.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Matthew Farwell case
01:47 Who were Sandra Birchmore and Matthew Farwell?
03:37 The timeline before Sandra was found dead
05:30 Why prosecutors say Farwell wanted to silence Sandra
07:27 The disputed suic*de finding and DNA evidence
09:33 The federal charges and what prosecutors must prove

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About Joshua Ritter:
Joshua Ritter is a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor providing legal commentary and analysis on the nation’s biggest true crime cases.

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this video is for educational purposes only. This content does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by watching this video.

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