Jury selection will begin Tuesday in the murder trial of former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell.
Farwell is charged with killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore in 2021.
16 jurors will be selected.
The judge suggested that opening statements should take place by the end of this week; the judge also ruled that the trial would remain in Massachusetts, saying the defense team didn’t prove that pre-trial publicity would keep Farwell from getting a fair trial.
Prosecutors claim Farwell killed Birchmore and her unborn child in 2021 to cover up their sexual relationship. They claim Farwell groomed Birchmore for sex when she was just 15 years old and part of the Stoughton police mentoring program.
Birchmore’s death was originally ruled a suicide.
He has pleaded not guilty.
