Local residents demand justice for Sandra Birchmore

Local residents protest outside the Norfolk DA’s office. (Photo courtesy of Rachael Wallace)

Horrified by the alleged abuse of power detailed in a newly released police internal affairs report and determined to be a voice for a young Canton woman who can no longer speak for herself, a group of local residents gathered outside the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office last week to demand accountability and speak out against sexual abuse.

Organized through Facebook by Canton native Rachael Wallace, the impromptu demonstration, dubbed “Justice for Sandra Birchmore,” lasted throughout the day on Thursday as protesters sought to deliver a loud and clear message that “institutionally sanctioned and sponsored violence against women and children will not be tolerated” in this community.

Wallace, who grew up in the area and knows several people on “both sides of the situation,” said she was motivated to act after reading news reports about Birchmore, whose death in 2021 by apparent suicide sparked an investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct of several Stoughton police officers. Three of those officers — Matthew Farwell, William Farwell, and Robert Devine, formerly the Stoughton deputy chief before a demotion six years ago — have all since resigned from the Stoughton PD, while a fourth officer, who was not named in the internal affairs (IA) report and is now employed with the Abington Police Department, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a separate investigation.

Birchmore, who grew up in Stoughton prior to moving to Canton, had met the officers through the Stoughton PD’s now defunct Youth Explorers Program when she was 13 years old. Two years later, according to the Boston Globe, Matthew Farwell embarked on an inappropriate relationship with then 15-year-old Birchmore that lasted until shortly before her death in February 2021. Birchmore was pregnant at the time of her death and had told friends and family members that Matthew Farwell was the father.

The IA investigation also concluded that both William Farwell and Devine had inappropriate relationships with Birchmore and cited efforts by William Farwell to introduce her to other men.

William Farwell, in his resignation letter, denied “any/all allegations of misconduct,” while Devine has also issued a firm denial and has disputed that he was the author of Facebook Messenger posts that investigators have cited as evidence of his wrongdoing. The author of the IA report, meanwhile, asserts that Devine was untruthful, failed to demonstrate sound judgment, and failed in his attention and devotion to duty.

Wallace, in following the news coverage of the case, said she was bothered by what she felt was a characterization of Birchmore as the “wayward girl that never had a chance at a good life.” After reading about the alleged actions of the Stoughton officers, Wallace she felt “pure, unadulterated fury” and was moved to speak up in hopes of making the world a safer place for her own children.

“As a taxpaying citizen, as a woman, and as a mother, this type of scenario is a homegrown nightmare,” she said. “It threatens the safety of our community, and our trust in vital establishments. While I know it is easier to stick our heads in the sand and think of this matter as an isolated scenario, it is not. In fact, it is a textbook example of institutional violence against women and children, and it is unfolding right here in our backyard. It is incumbent upon us as members of society to probe our own individual contributions to the problem, and take action to remedy those.”

A researcher by background, Wallace said the case propelled her into action as she began looking into the factors that allowed the alleged offenses to happen. “It seemingly boils down to two things,” she said, “a lack of good education around healthy relationship dynamics, and a lack of accountability for those that do commit such offenses.”

To that end, Wallace has called on lawmakers to take up the mantle and push for legislation and policies that will “strengthen protections and penalties surrounding these incidents, both locally and at the state level.”

She cited two bills that recently died in committee at the State House that she feels would have worked to “bridge these gaps” — “An Act Relative to Healthy Youth,” which emphasizes youth media literacy and would strengthen parental consent and curriculum transparency, and “An Act Relative to Sexual Assaults by Adults in Positions of Authority or Trust,” which would criminalize these types of relationships. “Our legislators need to give our local authorities and prosecutors adequate tools to do their job in holding predators accountable,” Wallace said.

As for the alleged offenders in the Sandra Birchmore case, Wallace and others are still holding out hope that criminal charges will be brought. The IA report is currently under review by the Norfolk DA’s office, and Wallace said DA Michael Morrissey, who she had a chance to speak to during Thursday’s demonstration, seemed “very friendly, receptive of, and sympathetic to our complaints.”

“He expressed that they are still working on the matter and would love for anyone with any information about the situation, or who may have also been victimized, to reach out to their office,” Wallace said. “From my understanding, because of the current gaps in our legislation surrounding the age of consent, and the fact Sandra is not able to testify in any proceedings, it would be useful to have more to bolster their case.”

In a statement issued following the release of the IA report, Morrissey noted that his office is still in the process of determining if criminal charges can be brought. “Prosecutors are at the beginning of that substantial process, which will take some time to exhaust,” he said. “The Norfolk District Attorney urges anyone who believes that they have direct knowledge of misconduct, or is themself the victim of any similar misconduct, to contact this office directly at 781-830-4990.”

Since speaking up publicly in support of Birchmore, Wallace said she has heard from several of the young woman’s friends and family members who are grateful for her willingness to shine a spotlight on her story and the issues at play.

“They have all offered personal stories and sentiments exposing the very real human face of this tragedy,” she said. “This woman was not just a victim; she was a vulnerable member of our community who was betrayed by the very institutions tasked with protecting her.

“Her name was Sandra Birchmore, and she was someone’s daughter, cousin, niece, friend, neighbor, student and classmate. Let’s work as a community to honor her life, give peace to her loved ones, and protect our most vulnerable in the process.”

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