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Officer Matthew Farwell Faces Federal Trial Over Sandra Birchmore Killing

By Drooid · Oct 9, 2026, 4:17 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Matthew Farwell Trial Begins

U.S. police officer Matthew Farwell begins federal trial for killing Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child.
Judge Denise J. Casper presides in Boston.
Jury selection trims 400 candidates to 12 jurors.
He faces federal charges of killing a witness and causing an unborn child's death under 18 U.S.C. Section 1841.
A conviction on the unborn-child count carries a mandatory life-in-prison sentence.

Summary

Jurors Selected for Trial

Over 400 prospective jurors arrived at the John J. Moakley U.S. Courthouse Tuesday.
Prosecutors and defense excluded 102 of 411 respondents, leaving 309 candidates.
Judge Denise J. Casper told jurors to ignore prior media exposure.
Voir dire on Thursday individually questioned roughly 60 jurors from an 80-person pool.
Opening statements are set for Friday, with the trial expected to run about five weeks into November.

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Matthew Farwell Trial Begins

U.S. police officer Matthew Farwell begins federal trial for killing Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child.
Judge Denise J. Casper presides in Boston.
Jury selection trims 400 candidates to 12 jurors.
He faces federal charges of killing a witness and causing an unborn child's death under 18 U.S.C. Section 1841.
A conviction on the unborn-child count carries a mandatory life-in-prison sentence.

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