SANDRA BIRCHMORE - Decertification Hearing of Officer Devine - Attorney Analyzes

Former Stoughton Police Deputy Chief Robert Devine was referred for discipline in 2021 relating to his inappropriate conduct towards Sandra Birchmore, a former participant in the Police Explorers youth program that he supervised and who was found dead in her Canton apartment in February 2021, allegedly murdered at the hands of former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell. However, Devine retired before the proceeding was completed. Now, the Massachusetts POST Commission that sets standards and qualifications for law enforcement officers is considering a recommendation to decertify Devine, meaning that he would be unable to resume work as a law enforcement officer in Massachusetts and would be placed on a national list of officers who had been decertified. Devine is contesting the decertification, and we are watching the hearings in this series.

Part 1 looks at the opening statements and the testimony of the first witness, Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara. Certain themes are beginning to emerge around Devine's self-asserted victimhood, the minimization of the grooming, abuse, and death of Sandra Birchmore, and the accusation of bias in the Internal Affairs investigation.

Hat tip to @TheTrialChannel_ for the audio-enhanced version of the hearings, you are the real MVP!

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