Downing Portrait Restored to Northern Berkshire District Court
DA Timothy Shugrue places the portrait of Downing back in its original location outside the jury room and the district attorney's North Adams office.
Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue on Tuesday afternoon hung a portrait photo of the late district attorney just outside the door of the jury room on the second floor.
"The old one was taken down and was thrown out," he said. "There were a lot of pictures that were thrown out."
Shugrue, who took office in January, said he was making sure all the photographs of the former DAs would be returned to their locations in the district attorney's office. But Downing's photograph was a little more special because of why it was in the district court.
"Gerry was so enthralled with the district court, it was very important to him. He called it the People's Court," he said.
Downing, of Pittsfield, died in December 2003 after suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow.
The North Adams court opened just over a year later in what had been the former Sprague Electric research building after many years in City Hall.
"This courthouse made a determination they want to honor him and put this up in front of the jury room, which he was so good at, near his office," Shugrue.
The former district attorney, Andrea Harrington, removed that photo and others, said Shugrue, and he had searched to find an exact copy to replace it.
He said he had spoking with Downing's wife, Pam, and his son, former state Sen. Benjamin Downing, before replacing it.
"Pam was very enthused and excited that we were putting it back up. She said that he loved this court," Shugrue said, and joked that she also had told him that Downing loved to come to North County so he could stop at Pedrin's Dairy Bar. "They were very happy that we were putting him back in his due honor and hopefully that stays up for as long as this building is in existence, because that's where its supposed to be."
Downing had hired Shugrue when he took office in 1991, replacing Anthony Ruberto Jr. Shugrue had been an assistant district attorney in Springfield and later left for private practice in 1994. He ran and won against first-term DA Harrington last year.
The district attorney said he's following a lot of Shugrue's philosophy — giving people a second chance and making sure his staff is doing well.
"When he passed, there were so many people that showed up at his funeral and just really honored him," said Shugrue. "And again, he just showed so much deference, so much care for the district court. And probably one of the only DAs that has ever shown that much care for the district court. It was really important to him."
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