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Attorney Timothy Shugrue takes out papers on Wednesday for Berkshire district attorney with his wife, Joann.

Two Challengers Emerge for Berkshire District Attorney

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Robert Sullivan launched his campaign late last year. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Well-known Pittsfield attorney Timothy J. Shugrue has entered the race for district attorney. 
 
Shugrue is the second candidate to announce a run against first-term incumbent Andrea Harrington; Robert Sullivan, of Lee, a former assistant DA, launched his campaign last year. 
 
Harrington hasn't formally announced but has been actively fundraising and has nearly $19,000 on hand. 
 
Shugrue took to social media to make his initial statement.
 
"Many of you know me as an attorney, husband, father and friend. I'm a trial lawyer with over 36 years of litigation courtroom experience in all of Western Massachusetts," he wrote.
 
Shugrue also is a former assistant district attorney, in Springfield, but has been in practice as a private attorney for 28 years.
 
He is a founder of the Berkshire County Children's Advocacy and Domestic Violence Center. 
 
"I enter this race to make Berkshire County a safe place for all the residents of our county.  I'm committed to providing experience, integrity and justice for all," he wrote.
 
Shugrue unsuccessfully ran against then District Attorney David Capeless in 2004. 
 
Sullivan announced his campaign late last year.
 
Originally from Boston, he graduated from New England Law in Boston. He moved to Berkshire County and was assistant district attorney under Capeless.
 
He now has his own practice in Central Berkshire.
 
Sullivan has been critical of Harrington in the past. According to his campaign website:
 
"Now my county needs a change. It needs a chief prosecutor that doesn't follow the trends of politics that reach far beyond our county, but rather focuses on the needs of the residents of Berkshire County. It needs a chief law enforcement officer who puts community safety and accountability over the false rhetoric of a certain political caucus or movement."
 
Harrington defeated Capeless' first assistant, Paul Caccaviello, who held the position in the interim when Capeless stepped down in 2018.
 
The election is in November.

Tags: district attorney,   election 2022,   


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Pittsfield School Committee to Again Vote on PHS Report Release

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will again discuss releasing a redacted version of the PHS report after confusion over a March vote. 

On Wednesday, member Ciara Batory, who has been vocal about releasing last year’s investigation into allegations of staff misconduct at Pittsfield High School, demanded a date for its release to the public.  It was indicated that the item can be put on the next meeting's agenda. 

"I am done playing the game. The public wants a date of when the redacted PHS report will be released, and I will not stop until I get a date," she said before a five-minute recess was called on the meeting. 

Last school year, five past and present PHS staff members were investigated for alleged misconduct, and allegations were found to be "unsupported," according to executive summaries released by the last term's committee. 

The School Committee agenda for its March 25 meeting included a "request by Ciara Batory to release the May 2025 Pittsfield High report with required redactions." It was reported that there were threats of legal action if the redacted report were released. 

Batory on Wednesday said she did not request that agenda item, and that the motion had already passed. Mayor Peter Marchetti, also chair, said they voted in January to review the redacted version, not to release it. 

Batory played the motion that passed in January from her phone: 

"I move the committee vote to release a PHS investigation report in a redacted form by February 18, 2026, and I'd like to add to that the School Committee reviews it before its release to the public, to make sure that there is enough to present to the public."

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