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U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise Casper denied the motion Friday, three days after Farwell appeared before her for a hearing on the issue. It marked the first time Farwell, a former Stoughton police officer accused of killing Sandra Birchmore, a pregnant woman prosecutors say he sexually abused when she was a teen, had appeared since his arrest in August 2024.
Farwell’s lawyers sought to move the trial, scheduled for October, from federal court in Boston to Rhode Island. They claimed that extensive media coverage of Farwell’s case, particularly in The Boston Globe, made it impossible for the 40-year-old to get a fair trial in the Bay State.
But Casper disagreed, finding that the coverage didn’t meet the high standard of prejudice necessary to justify moving a trial.
“Even when viewed collectively, however, the Court does not agree with Farwell that the nature and volume of media coverage have risen to the level that would warrant a change of venue,” Casper wrote in a 17-page memorandum and order, noting that though much of the reporting relies on the government’s accusations against Farwell, it includes mention that he denies the claims.
“The Court notes that even the most evenhanded media coverage of criminal cases may still include inflammatory or salacious details, depending on the nature of the underlying allegations for the criminal charges,” Casper continued.
Casper also noted that more than five-and-a-half years will have gone by since the time of Birchmore’s death when Farwell’s trial begins in October. Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment in February 2021.
www.masslive.com
Farwell’s lawyers sought to move the trial, scheduled for October, from federal court in Boston to Rhode Island. They claimed that extensive media coverage of Farwell’s case, particularly in The Boston Globe, made it impossible for the 40-year-old to get a fair trial in the Bay State.
But Casper disagreed, finding that the coverage didn’t meet the high standard of prejudice necessary to justify moving a trial.
“Even when viewed collectively, however, the Court does not agree with Farwell that the nature and volume of media coverage have risen to the level that would warrant a change of venue,” Casper wrote in a 17-page memorandum and order, noting that though much of the reporting relies on the government’s accusations against Farwell, it includes mention that he denies the claims.
“The Court notes that even the most evenhanded media coverage of criminal cases may still include inflammatory or salacious details, depending on the nature of the underlying allegations for the criminal charges,” Casper continued.
Casper also noted that more than five-and-a-half years will have gone by since the time of Birchmore’s death when Farwell’s trial begins in October. Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment in February 2021.
Judge denies defense motion to move Matthew Farwell trial over media coverage
A federal judge determined that the risk of a prejudiced jury pool in the Matthew Farwell case will likely have dissipated by the time his trial starts.
