“Never Discuss This” – Cover-Up Orders Before Teen’s Death?

Smartphone screen dialing 911 emergency number — Photo: Skrypnykov Dmytro / Shutterstock

A 911 call-taker testified that a police sergeant ordered him to “never talk about this again” after a tip linked the sergeant to abused teen Sandra Birchmore.

Story Highlights

Dispatcher James Fitton said Sgt. Matthew Farwell told him to bury a call about Farwell’s relationship with Birchmore.
Fitton said a supervisor also told him to forget the call, and that his notes were thrown out.
Reports say Farwell texted Fitton the same day, “let’s never discuss that again”.
The call came less than two weeks before Birchmore’s death in 2021, central to prosecutors’ timeline.

Sworn Testimony Describes Orders To Keep Quiet

Dispatcher James Fitton testified on October 20, 2026, that Stoughton Police Sgt. Matthew Farwell reacted with anger when told about a call that referenced his relationship with Sandra Birchmore. Fitton said Farwell became “visibly and audibly upset,” used foul language, and told him to “never talk about this again” and “never tell anyone about this call again”. Fitton described the exchange under oath during Farwell’s federal criminal trial, making it a core moment in the government’s case.

Fitton said the call arrived on January 20, 2021, and came from a woman seeking Farwell. The caller, identified in reports as Julia Perlin, referenced a dispute involving Birchmore and suggested an intimate relationship with Farwell. Fitton stated that after alerting a desk officer or lieutenant about the call, he was told to “forget about the call,” which extended the alleged suppression beyond Farwell. Fitton added that his notes from the call, including the caller’s name, were thrown out.

Same-Day Text And Timing Bolster Prosecutors’ Timeline

Trial coverage reports that Farwell texted Fitton later that day, writing, “let’s never discuss that again,” while using derogatory terms for both the caller and Birchmore. Fitton replied that he would not bring it up again. Prosecutors place the call less than two weeks before Birchmore’s death, framing it as a key point in the sequence of events they want jurors to consider. The timing links the alleged command to be silent with a rapid turn in the case.

Reports say Fitton could not recall all details of the three-minute call. He testified that the caller did not report a specific crime and did not describe Birchmore as underage at the time of the relationship. That limits what policy duties the call may have triggered. But the testimony still centers on a claimed order to hide a tip that named a police sergeant and a young woman tied to a later death. Prosecutors say that order and later texts show an effort to shut down the topic.

What The Allegation Says About Institutional Culture

The account points to more than one person urging silence, which aligns with known problems in many departments. Research on police whistleblowing finds that officers and staff often face pressure to keep matters informal, avoid paper trails, and protect colleagues. A 2024 systematic review cited barriers such as fear of retaliation, confused rules, and loyalty pressures that chill reporting. Such pressures can erode accountability and make later fact-finding much harder.

Americans who respect good policing also expect honest record-keeping and swift action when a tip names an officer. Families deserve to know that every lead is logged, preserved, and routed for review. Conservative principles back that view: equal justice under law, protection of the vulnerable, and limited government that stays inside clear rules. When basic procedures fail, trust suffers. Strong leadership should demand retention of call notes, chain-of-custody for texts, and prompt referral to outside investigators when officers are involved.

Key Facts Jurors Heard About The Call

Reports identify the caller as a friend of Birchmore who referenced an intimate relationship and a $248 dispute, and who asked to speak with Farwell. Fitton’s testimony places Farwell’s angry response at the station, followed by a directive from a supervisor to disregard the matter. Later that day, the reported text from Farwell told Fitton not to discuss it again. Prosecutors say the call occurred January 20, 2021, days before Birchmore died, heightening the stakes.

Defense coverage in court has focused on other threads about messages and access, but the heart of this report is narrow and direct: a dispatcher says he was told to bury a tip that named an officer and a young woman at risk. That picture raises hard questions about simple steps that could protect life and liberty. Clear rules, firm oversight, and transparent records are not red tape; they are guardrails that keep power in check and citizens safe.