The defense called three expert witnesses as the fifth week of Matthew Farwell’s federal murder trial began, focusing testimony on the cause of Sandra Birchmore’s death. Farwell, a former Stoughton police detective, is accused of killing the 23-year-old and staging her death as a suicide.
The courtroom for the Matthew Farwell trial.
He's the Stoughton police officer accused of killing Sandra Birchmore.
Boston 25 News reporter Lisa Gresham on scene
in Boston for the fifth week of testimony.
The defense calling three expert witnesses
to the stand here in federal court
kicking off the fifth week of this Matthew Farwell trial.
Matthew Farwell, a former Stoughton police detective,
is accused of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore
and staging her death as a suicide.
His defense team using these expert witnesses
to argue suicide is a possible cause of death in this case.
Our legal analyst, Elise Hirschhorn, explaining the defense's approach.
If suicide is a viable theory and still on the table
and is supported by evidence that's come in,
that could be a problem for the prosecution to get to a conviction.
The first witness, Dr. William.
Bill Ralston was referred to as a fact witness.
The chief medical examiner out of Kentucky testifying about
his professional relationship and history
with the prosecution's forensic expert, Dr. William Smock.
Smock testified Birchmore's death was a homicide, not a suicide.
The defense using Dr. Ralston
to call Smock's forensic capabilities into question.
Then there was Dr. Heather Galvin, a forensic anthropology expert,
who testified Birchmore's injuries could have
been a result of a seated suicide
and the weight that would be needed for such a fracture.
But she also testified there was no clear way
to decide one over the other.
The third and final witness,
a forensic expert out of Maine, Dr. Alicia McCarthy,
testifying she was asked to look at some of Dr. Smock's findings.
Ultimately, she said her findings were inconclusive,
meaning that she could not say whether
or not the mark on Birchmore was from the clasp
or buckle on the strap found at the scene.
And even though the defense has not rested yet,
after dismissing the jury, the judge, the prosecution, and the defense
taking part in the charge conference.
And those are the marching orders for the jurors.
How to take the evidence that they've received
and put it into their deliberation process
and reach a verdict.
The jury will be hearing
from two more defense witnesses tomorrow in Boston.
I'm Lisa Gresham,
Chronicle Station, Boston 25 News.
