Overview
- Donna McNamara filed the civil suit Monday in Norfolk Superior Court seeking damages and an emergency order to be reinstated after her removal as Stoughton police chief.
- Her complaint accuses Town Manager Thomas Calter of repeatedly interfering with her duties, calling and texting her, and demanding she destroy a second internal affairs report about the department’s role in the Birchmore investigation.
- Town officials have declined to explain McNamara’s removal; one deputy, James O’Connor, has been named acting chief and demonstrators have publicly rallied in support of McNamara.
- The dispute ties to the 2021 death of Sandra Birchmore, whose manner of death was later changed to 'undetermined,' and to the 2024 FBI arrest of former detective Matthew Farwell who has pleaded not guilty.
- The Select Board has scheduled a closed executive session to discuss McNamara and the town manager and a court hearing on her request for relief is set for Friday, raising questions about departmental leadership and local oversight.