INMATE DEATH, SUICIDE LEAD TO FINGER-POINTING IN SHERIFF’S RACE … ALF: DEATHS A ‘TRAGIC EXAMPLE’ OF LEADERSHIP FAILURE AT JAIL … PUDGE: ALF EXPLOITING FAMILY TRAGEDY AS ‘POLITICAL FODDER’
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JULY 25, 2022) — Politics is weird. How weird?
It’s so weird that anything you say about it will be true. Even if it’s false, it will be true.
Politics never has, isn’t, and never will be pure, and when candidates pledge to run a clean campaign, the ensuing immaculateness will soil everything.
Welcome to THE PLANET‘s continuing coverage of Campaign ’22. Nobody does it better.
The two most important local races will decided on Sept. 6, Election Day for the party prelims. That’s because we live under one-party rule, a totalitarian bent under the iron fist of Democrats.
For district attorney, challenger Tim Shugrue’s campaigning at Mach III with his head on fire. No-show Wrong Way Harrington is counting on The Miracle of the Ballot Machines, where a visitation by the Blessed Virgin Mary will hack the ballot-box software reverse a landslide win by Tim. Like all things religious, this will remain a Mystery.
For sheriff, we have the Battle of the Bs: two-term incumbent Tom Bowler v. the challenge of count probation official Alf Barbalunga. This race between heavyweights is scheduled for 15 rounds and will likely go all 15.
The latest is a flurry of exchanges that began with Barbalunga’s right hand to the jaw, with his accusation that, in effect, sheriff Bowler bears responsibility for the recent death of a female Berkshire County prisoner at the regional facility for women in Chicopee. Alf also laid blame on the sheriff for the suicide of an inmate at the Berkshire lockup. Bowler responded with an uppercut to the jaw.
This story has not received proper coverage from the local media. THE PLANET once again fills in the information and credibility gaps.
We shall do what no other local outlet can or will, that is, present the dueling press releases of both camps, in full, unedited, and let you be the judge:
———- ooo ———-
BARBALUNGA’S INITIAL CHARGES, PRESS RELEASE OF JULY 20
One week ago, a 46-year-old Pittsfield woman died while in the custody of the Western Mass Regional Woman’s Correctional Center (WCC). Berkshire County Sheriff candidate Alf Barbalunga called the death “another tragic example of why we need to bring Berkshire women in jail back home to Berkshire County.”
“There has been no public accounting of the circumstances surrounding her death,” Barbalunga charged. “Her death is part of a pattern of what happens to Berkshire residents who find themselves in state or county jails.” Although the death occurred a week ago, no report of the incident has been made public by the Hampden County Jail or the Berkshire County Jail, which makes all female referrals to the WCC facility in Chicopee.
8 months ago, an inmate in pre-trial detention at the Berkshire County jail committed suicide in broad daylight, Barbalunga said. Staff at the Berkshire jail gave Stavri Yanka, 34, a mental health screening, but concluded the Adams resident “did not exhibit an elevated risk of harming himself.” “The Sheriff could have coded this individual as a high risk, and he would have been monitored with increased frequency,” Barbalunga explained. Instead, the man died just days after arriving at the jail.
In February of 2019, Miguel Oliveira, a 48-year-old Latino detainee of the Berkshire County Sheriff died at the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Hospital in Boston, roughly 6 weeks after he had been admitted in Berkshire County jail. Sheriff Tom Bowler’s General Counsel, Dan Sheridan, responded to a public records request, withholding details of the death because it “was not a public record.”
“In the past three and a half years, there have been at least 3 confirmed deaths and 1 escape related to Berkshire County inmates,” Barbalunga noted.” On average, every 10 months there has been either a death or an escape under the supervision of Sheriff Tom Bowler and his Executive Leadership Team.” Inmate Harry Chandler’s escape in 2019 lasted 3 days, and required the assistance of 5 local police departments, state police from 3 states, and the US Marshal’s office. There was a second escape in 2013 under Bowler’s watch.
“The public has the right to expect transparency and accountability from their Sheriff,” Barbalunga concluded. “Escapes and deaths of people under the Sheriff’s supervisions must be fully transparent and should be posted on the Sheriff’s website. We will work harder to ensure that no one commits suicide on our watch, and no one escapes. Whatever happens, the public will know of any findings from my office.”
BOWLER’s RESPONSE, EXCLUSIVE TO THE PLANET:
“When he announced his candidacy, Barbalunga pledged to run a clean campaign. It’s been anything but that. In the process, he’s exposed how dangerously uninformed he is. He uses reckless and careless language, makes ridiculous charges, and appears to know very little about the role of sheriff. He tries to fool voters with press releases that leave out the most important details. He will do or say anything to win. The way he handled the death of the Berkshire inmate in Chicopee was the most disgraceful thing I’ve seen a local “public” official do in a long time, if ever.”
BOWLER’S RESPONSE, PRESS RELEASE OF JULY 22
My opponent has elected to use family tragedy as fodder for his political purposes. That’s tragic. However, FACTS MATTER and CREDIBILITY MATTERS.
What is missing from Alf Barbalunga’s press release, as usual, is the most significant detail. This woman died of natural causes. Like all inmates, she had been monitored throughout the night. She was found not breathing early in the morning. The facility’s medical staff immediately tried every possible life-saving measure while awaiting an ambulance, and she was pronounced dead at the hospital. The medical examiner ruled that her death was the result of natural causes due to a pre-existing condition.
Here’s what I did: I called her parents to offer my condolences. There is nothing I can do except express my sympathy when someone dies of natural causes. That’s the result of a power far greater than mine.
Here’s what Barbalunga did: He called the media, trying desperately to find some political advantage in the death of another human being. I find this disgraceful. Where is his compassion for her family? Where is his common sense? When is a death by natural causes an opportunity to cast blame or stage a media event?
Alf Barbalunga apparently believes that this woman’s death validates his campaign issue that female inmates should be in Berkshire County. He is wrong. The location of her incarceration had nothing to do with her death. Moreover, just this past January, the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee was recognized as a national model after earning a 100 percent score – one of the highest in the nation – following an audit by the American Correctional Association. The services provided are excellent and are specifically tailored for women inmates who want to turn their lives around.
Barbalunga is also using this woman’s death to publicize the 2019 death of a 48-year-old Berkshire inmate who was incarcerated at the Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Hospital in Boston. Once again, he leaves out the most important details. This inmate was sent to the Boston hospital by a judge following an examination by the court psychiatrist. There is simply nothing I or my staff in Pittsfield could have done to prevent the death of an inmate who was committed to the care of a Boston hospital. Instead, he attempts to cast blame on jail officials for what was, in essence, an act of God. Would Barbalunga accept the blame for the deaths of probationers that occur in Boston, much less those under his direct supervision?
Barbalunga also blames me and apparently my staff for the death of an inmate who committed suicide while housed at the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction. According to Barbalunga’s press release: “The sheriff could have coded this individual as a high risk, and he could have been monitored with increased frequency.” Again, facts matter. We use a highly detailed instrument to assess suicide risk for every inmate comitted to our care. We have extremely competent and caring staff who do everything in their power to provide for the safety of inmates committed to our care. The reality is that we had no information indicating that this individual was at increased risk of suicide. This was the first suicide by a Berkshire County inmate in over 35 years. The measures taken by our staff to attempt to save him were nothing short of heroic and those involved were deeply impacted by this tragedy.
These three inmates had families, and they were loved. Barbalunga’s press release had no empathy for them at all. He is using them to win votes by doling out half-truths. He forgets that character counts and integrity matters. Facts matter.
INCLUDED IN THE BOWLER RESPONSE WAS A STATEMENT FROM HAMDEN COUNTY SHERIFF NICK COCCHI REGARDING THE DEATH OF THE INMATE AT THE WOMEN’S LOCKUP IN CHICOPEE
“Unfortunately, people with complicated medical histories can pass away in correctional institutions, just like they do in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and the community. That was the case here as the medical examiner determined this individual passed of natural causes,” Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said. “I compliment Sheriff Bowler and his staff for the professionalism and empathy they exhibited upon learning of the passing of this inmate. And I think it is disgusting that someone would attempt to use a family’s sadness and circumstances for personal and political gain.”
———- ooo ———-
ALF’S RESPONSE TO BOWLER’S COUNTERCLAIMS
It is disappointing that Sheriff Bowler would focus on me and question my concern or compassion regarding the death of an inmate, rather than focus on what actually happened to the female inmate in question. Sheriffs are required to report all deaths to the state police detective unit assigned to the District Attorney’s office, as well as make notifications to the medical examiner’s office. As Sheriff, I will also release a statement to the public posted on the Sheriff’s website, protecting all personal-identifying information.
I am running against Sheriff Bowler because I feel his lack of oversight at his facility has already resulted in too many preventable deaths, such as the 2021 suicide which should have been caught by better information sharing with the Court, or those who overdosed following release from his “abstinence” program.
I am motivated by empathy, compassion, and concern, and a love for my community, and a strong desire to protect them and offer them better care and support.
I learned a week ago from a person in law enforcement that an inmate in her mid-40s had died at the Chicopee jail due to undetermined causes. I waited a week to see if any report would be filed—but no one reported this woman’s death or the particular circumstances.
Given what Sheriff Bowler had previously referred to as a “little glitch” in information sharing that had resulted in the suicide of an individual in his custody last year, when I am told of a death of a young woman in custody, I am naturally concerned.
When that information isn’t shared publicly—with the name redacted–I wonder why. Multiple attempts to contact the Western Mass Regional Woman’s Correctional Facility to inquire about this tragedy were met with evasiveness and non-responsiveness. Calls went unreturned.
———- ooo ———-
PRESS RELEASE FROM BARBALUNGA, RELEASE #2 ON INMATE DEATHS
As a member of the public safety community, and as a father and husband, I was saddened by this woman’s tragic death, and as someone who wants prisoners to receive better care, I sought answers to determine what happened, as I felt the public should have been notified, even if this 46-year-old woman died due to “natural causes”, “medical issues”, or something else. All deaths of incarcerated individuals in a publicly-funded facility should be reported, without personal-identifying information. Specific cause of death should be independently verified, with a review of what attempts were made to save the life of the inmate. Furthermore, any procedural shortcomings should be identified in such a review.
It is common for correctional facilities to issue a press release or otherwise let the public know that someone has died of “natural causes” in their facility. I naturally wondered why that did not happen in this case. Deaths of inmates should be a part of a facility’s annual reporting.
A public statement was not issued by the jail authorities until after my press release asking those questions prompted the media to contact the jails.
I withheld the name of the deceased from my press release to protect the family, and I never accused anyone of mistreatment. Moreover, regarding my concern for women being in Chicopee, this issue is about having female inmates close to their family where they can visit, communicate, and, if there are health issues, the family can stay on top of them, something I feel strongly about, and of course, there’s more accountability and transparency by an administration to Berkshire County residents when their family is incarcerated in this County. We deserve an award-winning facility right here at home.
When something tragic happens to someone from the Berkshires after they are sent to Chicopee or Boston, it’s still a tragedy, whether preventable or not, but there’s less accountability to the community, and we need to know our elected sheriff and other authorities are doing everything in their power to maintain the health and well-being of all of our prisoners and that necessary information, medical, psychological, is being shared between authorities.
The way to maintain trust is to maintain an open line of communication with the public, and to show the public that the authorities trusted with our lives are doing everything they can in a professional manner.
I believe in transparency and accountability, and if something like this happened on my watch, I would let the public know someone had passed of natural causes, that we expressed our condolences, that our medical team had done their best, and I would withhold their name and personal details to protect the family.
As Sheriff Bowler has acknowledged, a young man did commit suicide in his custody last year, because information wasn’t shared by the Court or requested by the Sheriff’s office, as a rule, and an at-risk inmate was not watched to prevent his suicide. Obviously, that is a tragedy as well, and in the future, the sheriff pledged to see if he could resolve what he referred to as a “little glitch” in information sharing. But that was more than a “little glitch,” and I believe we need to be more proactive in preventing tragedies.
I feel a great deal of responsibility for the people my office supervises, while always being transparent to the public, and I expect the same of the Sheriff’s Office at all times.
In summary, Sheriff Bowler sought to divert attention away from the unfortunate death of an inmate that I felt should be made public. Any prisoner in the sheriff’s care who loses their life- -regardless of cause—should not be used to launch a political attack. The Sheriff should simply be explaining what happened to this inmate, what were the suspected underlying causes of death, and whether his staff were aware of her medical conditions prior to her death. An independent medical review of all such deaths should be included, with personal identifying information redacted.
It’s my job as a compassionate candidate and member of the public to ensure that the public is always treated with care and protection, especially when in custody, and we can’t know if that’s happening without transparency and accountability from public officials. Secrecy serves no one.
It was entirely reasonable to inquire why a young woman incarcerated in Chicopee passed away suddenly on July 11th in light of the suicide death in 2021. The public needs to know the sheriff has resolved all the “little glitches”, and that if any of their friends or family members are in our custody, they will receive the best medical treatment and medical care we can provide.
———- ooo ———-
There you have it, folks, unrivaled and unequalled coverage of a key issue that will help determine the future of public safety in Berkshire County. Let us know who you think won this round of BARBALUNGA v. BOWLER.
And please explain why? What’s your reasoning? Why specifically do you hold that view. Your remarks will be helpful to both campaigns and the entire electorate.
At this early stage, we have Barbalunga ahead on points, with a long ways to go.
No one else give you coverage like this.
——————————————————————————
“The errand of life is to be able to understand as many perspectives as you can” — John Damielle
LOVE TO ALL.
Copyright (c) 2022 By Dan Valenti, PLANET VALENTI and EUROPOLIS MANAGEMENT. All rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. Those who leave comments own all the responsibilities that are or can be attached to those comments, be they rhetorical, semantic, or legal. Such commentators remain solely responsible for what they post and shall be and remain solely accountable for their words. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in, but not limited to, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. We serve as a marketplace of ideas, without prejudice, and available to all. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice and their use of/participation in this website. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.
Is the subject of the February 25, 2020, untimely death, not from natural causes, of a Berkshire County Correctional Officer off limit? I’ll not mention this dead CO’s name so as to protect the multiple mothers of his children his unnatural death left fatherless. If the public has learned anything from the decades long dark cloud which hung in visibly plain sight over the head of Berkshire County’s longest serving sheriff, Carmen Massimiano, ethics, integrity. accountability, and transparency are not only, not qualifying attributes, but may actually be disqualify character traits for the job of Berkshire County Sheriff. That said, Bowler and Barbalunga, both qualify for the paycheck of Berkshire County Sheriff. The only difference between the two is, one is sleazier than the other. It easy to exploit the inmates, but what about the flaws of their jailers? Berkshire County Jail has had in its history a Major among its ranks who was convicted of having sex with multiple female inmates at the Berkshire County Jail. Is he collecting a taxpayer funded pension for his years of service at the BCHC? BCHC also had in its employment, a 62-year-old female clinician who was having sexual relations with an inmate. But to be clear, I believe the clinician was manipulated by a manipulating inmate. While those are examples of two BCHC employees who got caught and were punished for their crimes, those are the exception to the rule. As to Alf’s phony concern for female inmates being housed closer to home so their family/children can visit with their incarcerated loved ones, ALL in-person visits at BCHC were canceled at the beginning of the pandemic, and still have not resumed. Some families didn’t get to see their loved ones for well over 2 years. Everyone worries about their incarcerated loved ones. Inmates were exposed to covid, and some actually did get covid while incarcerated. Who knows how many, because I’m sure that, like many things under Bowler’s authority are closely guarded secrets at Bowler’s BCHC gulag. I don’t have any respect for tyrants who choose careers which involves the oppression and unrestrained control over other humans. Cops, jailers, probations officers have to be a special type of scumbag which tells me everything I need to know about Bowler and Barbalunga. I’m sure if one were to look at the names of the people who go in for these types of careers, there will be lots of familiar names, and more likely than not, they, and many of their family members belong behind bars. I can think of several.
You sir, are a gutless coward who is worse than the scum you write about. Most lawmen and women are public servants of the highest order. If you ever need a cop, I hope there isn’t one for miles around.
That’s fine with me. I want gutless cowardly scum pig cops miles and miles and miles away from me. I certainly don’t want cops within range of kidnaping, terrorizing and traumatizing babies. I don’t want cops within range of strangling/suffocating me. I don’t want cops within range of punching and kicking me. I don’t want cops within range of groping, violating and brutalizing me. I don’t want cops invading my home and ransacking, robbing and vandalizing it. I don’t want cops arresting me and concocting lies about me to justify their malicious unjustifiably brutal savage false arrest. So, please, keep hoping that cops keep their distance miles and miles and miles and miles away from me. I’ve lost count on how many pigs the PPD has lost due to their own corruption and perversions. But whatever the number, I assure you, it wasn’t enough.
Regardless of Barbalungas’ Bullshit statements, Bowler is going to mop him up, but should take nothing for granted and campaign like crazy. As to Shugrue Dan, can you give us some examples of his aggressive campaigning, because I am not reading any press releases where he is taking it to Harrington like Barbalunga is trying, but failing, to take it to Bowler?
1. Put his lucrative law practice as a defense lawyer on hold to campaign and organize full time.
2. Signage, palm cards, stickers distributed heavily.
3. Quite but effective door-to-door
4. Meeting in lots of small groups, coffee hours.
5. Spreading his message throughout the county
6. Challenging the DA to debates.
7. Campaign HQ volunteers working the mail, the phones.
8. Organization throughout the county
9. Meeting with law enforcements officials
10. Only just beginning.
He has signs out, but that is about it. How does one “work the mail”?
Same way you work anything.
Take a wild guess
How does one “work the mail”
Simple. Use the mail to win.
LEV
Too simple to have to explain, one would think. Thank you for performing the thankless task for our good friend MR. W.
Simplicity is the sister of genius.
Sidepoint: we lost three soldiers to the easter bunny zombie. No joke it was a nasty piece of work. We had to completely dismantle it.
Requesting you send us replacements. City, School Comm, Fizz will be compatible though some anti-PM training is in order.
Thanks Dan. Why no press releases blasting her and her woke garbage into next month. Alfie’s going nowhere but not for lack of trying. We cannot suffer 4 more years of Harrington. I fear Shugrue gets trounced like Pauly.
The difference is we now have so much evidence that Harrington has repeatedly lied to, mislead and antagonized so many people. This is not a popularity contest. The facts speak for themselves. Keep reminding everyone.
The way Harrington is trying to capitalize on Roe v Wade is every bit as disgusting as Barbalunga’s stunt. I hope women wake up to this travesty.
Yeah she is real good at putting out useless statements. If you want someone who is going to just do the job it’s got to be obvious to anyone it’s Shugrue.
She’s most proud of “making the New York Times” with her tweet on irrelevant abortion laws. Your DA at work fighting crime.
To build on yours, R v Wade isn’t even an abortion law. It was drafted by judges not voted upon by the Congress and signed by the President.
The S.C. does not have the power to write laws. Judges simply cannot write up laws for others to follow. Can’t be done. Nope.
Some on the court feel they should be writing laws that ‘feel right’ when they feel right, (Sotomayer) that are too complex or illegal for Congress to do, but the Constitution is not a ‘feelings document.’ Once every couple generations, these laws run up against a Court that restricts its work to interpreting laws.
Elections are almost always popularlity contests, in the sense that people go for who they like, not who is more competent and will do the better job. That’s why many people who would have been great mayors, police chiefs, school superintendants, etc, never got the job.
This area will NEVER go after the woke agenda because this area is the WOKE agenda for the most part. Williamstown, all woke because of the college. Those will be lots of votes for Harrington. The WOKE agenda doesn’t care about her qualifications. Harrington just needed to be Woke.
Williamstown is not as woke as the Billsville progressives
like you to believe. Just ask Richie Haley and Albert Cummings. Both of these men would have been great additions to the select board as they live in Williamstown their entire life come from non college families and know that the real history of Williamstown is the dairy farming.Well into the 1980s you could tell how close you were to the end of the school day by how pungent the smell of cow manure.on the fields at Modern Dairy was in the hallways and classrooms.. stronger the smell the closer you were to dismissal.As the day warmed up it warmed in the manure. When those fields hit their most aromatic it was time to board the buses.
Several of my classmates arrived to home room smelling of the barn, and we’re treated badly for it; who’s laughing now? Turns out the farm kids had the most valuable pieces of land in Williamstown.
Farm kids and faculty brats and the world’s wealthiest kid, the Shah of Iran’s (knd his security detail), all of us unlikely classmates who depended on cow shit to keep our town running.
Both of these men whatever provided good wisdom and great guidance and a need and overdue course corrections to Williamstown.
Instead in the progressive went after Cummings was just about the only political trick they know: “call ’em a racist!”
Cummings is an internationally known bluesman.He probably has more lived experience of racism and the history of racial disparities in his little finger than doesthe collective experience of the political action group Greylock Together whose other greatest hit and rallying cry is equity for all.
And yet they are one of the most casually anti-Semitic groups in the county.
It’s a shonda what happened when Albert Cummings was running in Williamstown …
A fine tribute. Thumbs up. Total thumbs up.
Precisely. All the more reason for Shugrue to get it going. I tell you, he needs to get it in high gear, now.
My moonbat relatives are even fed up with her. She should put an application in at Taco Bell
Well, she trashed much of Pittsfield, why not smash up our Taco Bell?
You are singing Shugrue’s praises like he’s taking it to Harrington but I don’t see it that way. Barbalunga is going for Bowler’s juggler vain but Shugrue is the one that needs to get going. Bowler will likely trounce Barbalunga, who is a blowhard phoney GOBSIG. Harrington, by virtue of her gender, has a huge advantage over an aging white male. Just sayin’.
JOE
You could very well be right. Is Harrington using her gender as a “rope-a-dope” maneuver? If so, is that enough? Or is she “enjoying” the benefits from outside interests we know nothing about, and likely never will?
Pittsfield turnout will decide the DA race. Harrington is placing double lawn signs in Pittsfield yards and that says it all.
Might be, BILLY, but why did Herman M. have to hang you in the end?
Writer’s block?
Thackery did that. He grew to hate his characters so much that he kept heaping abuse and death on them until they went away.
Don’t underestimate women. They will, in the most part, NOT vote for a person just because that candidate is a woman. I saw many women at Shugrues events.
I saw my first Harrington sign on Egremont Avenue.
Why can’t an aging white male be woke?
Just mental doodling.
Just in the last 3 days Tim was in North Adams, Adams & Cheshire.
Barbalunga is the quintessential GOBSIG who thought he would be anointed sheriff when Carm croaked. He saw the writing on the wall and pulled out instead of running against Bowler years ago. He is now tired of waiting and is a hack who can’t hack it in his job that was handed to him. He knows he’s going to lose but he is setting stage for next time.
It’s quite obvious that Barbalunga has no idea who the young woman was – her extremely troubled life, her very poor health, or why she was incarcerated.
Her name was Jamie Pratt. She was a real person who suffered from real physical and mental health issues.
Barbalunga should be ashamed.
And now she is not a burden to the state.
Kinda wish you didn’t print that. Not really her fault she is campaign fodder.
The girl is dead, let her rest in peace. Her parents chose to write a beautiful obituary full of all their hopes and dreams for their child as she was growing up. They also chose to omit the reality of their daughter’s life and death. I admire parents who choose to include the struggles their child had endured in their life and probably contributed to their death. I believe it may be cathartic for parents of an adult deceased child, but I hope I never have to find out for myself. But Jaime’s parents chose to immortalize their deceased daughter with happier memories, and that’s painfully admirable also. Alf is more of a burden than Jaime Pratt ever would have been. And he has no right to attempt to exploit her death. Peace to Jaime and her family.
Nicely put
So,you do have a compassionate and understanding bone in your body, at least for her family, but not for the cops who risk their lives daily. You ungrateful tasbard.
I still believe that the plum position of Berkshire County Sheriff is for a politically connected Democrat to make a couple hundred thousand dollars per year in public pay plus perks during their 6-year term(s) in political office. I don’t believe that the Sheriff is really interested in helping career criminals, gang members, and impoverished people reenter the economically distressed cities of Pittsfield and North Adams and be successful working members of the long decimated middle class. When does the Berkshire County Sheriff retire? The first day of his no-show job!
I still believe that the high paying plum position of Berkshire County District Attorney is no match for the over 1,000 gang members who live in dangerous inner-city Pittsfield. Mayor Linda Tyer recently stated that the daily shootings in inner-city Pittsfield is “an immediate crisis”. The irony of Mayor Linda Tyer’s statement is that she has been running Pittsfield politics three years longer than D.A. Andrea Harrington.
Lastly, please ask challenger Tim Shugrue to list his successes and failures over the many years he has practiced the law in the beautiful Berkshires. If his failures outnumber his successes, please remind him that Babe Ruth struck out many more times than he hit home runs a century ago.
Right about Tyer and the gangs. They were fledgling operations when she took office. Now they run their drug business pretty much at will and have grown exponentially. Maybe the mayor can start the renaming of streets after their victims because what could be more woke than that?
Maybe Kerwood should hire them as advisers
If you knew how many gang members were in the PPD database you wouldn’t come out after dark.
Exactly. When the mayor packed up her shit and fled to the outskirts of town on day one it spoke volumes. She has big friends in the police dept and she knows well how dangerous her city is. For all we know she may have an underground bunker out there at the bottom of the mountain.
But now that kids in Pittsfield are getting shot you know the gang roots are very deep and getting worse by the day. Once the city is completely fleeced of it bounty all these power folk will be leaving in droves. No way they are hanging around for the “Chicago effect” to take full hold.
Her relatives are the gang, hello.
POP
“The Chicgo Effect.” That’s the perfect description for what’s going down in the Pitts.
Das righ Dan. And if all bcuz of systemic racisim, which is the root cause of all dis shootings’
Bungalunga’s so used to a do nothing no show job he doesn’t know how the real world works. Maybe somebody should investigate his job performance while being Cliffy’s power bottom.
Ask Alf how many “improper sexual contact” complaints he has against him.
Ask Alf why all the complaints were deemed “confidential” and outside access via the public records law.
Ask Alf why he didn’t do his job overseeing a guy who was charged with diluting sex from a male minor.
Alf is exactly what’s wrong with Berkshire politics.
“A Probation Department investigation found problems in Berkshire County’s probation system, though the department’s secrecy prevents residents from specifically knowing the nature of the problems or their extent. In a statement, the Supreme Judicial Court said that “Corrective measures must now be taken…” and that should constitute an independently conducted overhaul of a thoroughly rotten agency. Plainly, the Legislature, which is a huge part of the problem, should have nothing to do with this overhaul or the Probation Department’s future supervision.”
They are talking about people like Alf and Cliff.
No wonder Alf wants women back in prison in Berkshire County, it expands his “dating” pool.
Alf is the Andrea Harrington of the probation department. Massively overpaid and grossly unqualified.
Moobs?
https://youtu.be/quzRzYQ5Xwo
Barbalunga has chosen to take the low, anything goes, campaign methodology. To me, his tactics scream of a man who desperately wants a power position and is willing to slither along the gutter to get it if he has to. He seems to have figured out that he is not going to win based on his own accomplishments and merit and his only hope is to tear down his opponent using any low road tactics he or his backers can muster.
And this says all you need to know about him when you go to vote.
Major Mauer/Major Taylor was a Corrections Official at BCHC is this relative?
Yes
1. Preemptive press releasing the news, that an unnamed inmate had died, has potential to cause massive undue panic for families/public etc. It’s not smart to release to little facts, preemptively. Think about it. And their is perhaps a time frame/protocol for releasing/reporting such too.
2. How has recidivism been aeffected since the switch to Chicopee ?
3. How many of Bowler’s reentry BCHC women overdosed & died ?
4. Jamie Pratt previously survived a few bids at BCHC. She loved her family very much.
How many have overdosed and died on the streets in Pittsfield who never saw the inside of a jail? Let us keep things in perspective please. It is a lot I assure you.
Andrea Harrington pressed for the release of inmates during Covid and they overdosed and died. This could easily be followed up on but it never was.
Those DA’s who commit Post Modern misdeeds modeled after deviant sociologists guarantee bad outcomes for their beneficiaries. They are sprung with no consideration for danger to others and/or themselves and either murder rob more people and wind up with sometimes guilty consciences and longer prison terms or overdose or commit suicide.
The more Alf talks and throws stones, the less of a chance he’ll be elected, as his idiocy is on full display.
Using a dead female inmate at another facility for political gain is appalling.
Re-elect Tom Bowler for Sheriff!
He may not be astute enough to realize his dirty campaigning may cost him more votes than it gets. But I guess if it is all ya got, ya gotta try it.
Just remember Harry Reid and all the dirty campaign tricks he used. Making up lies and what was his response when confronted with those lies? He said “It worked didn’t it?”. It’s all about winning and no bar is too low. All of the lies about President Trump during his 4 years in office were disgusting.
Trump said he could kill someone on fifth avenue and still get elected. Now, seeing who his followers are, I believe that to be true. (He almost got a noose around Mike Pence s neck though) He does try hard.
They don’t explain that he is an employee of the Commonwealth nor that he was the subject of an investigation, which was dismissed by the D.A., nor his relationship with Law Enforcement- all that’s not news.
Why is this glass hunt front page worthy? Seriously- what? Glass is still used today, even the blue kind – it’s not a rare treasure.
https://berkshireeagle-ma.newsmemory.com?selDate=20220722&goTo=A01&artid=1
Morris said, Equal treatment under the laws and Fugitive Slave Act…. the 13 & the 14th. Let me see what that is worth; in 2022 broken system they still discussin’ Mum Bett, well child, that burn has healed.
Equal Treatment Under the Laws for Everyone
Most here on the planet have had trouble discerning what truth is since our ex president said his lies until your believe them.If Alf wants to win over this board he needs to keep saying the bs over and over as he will definitely get the FOX viewer.
If you think it’s a lie, I know that you are wrong
Trump is nothing more than conman, a thug, and a criminal. He’s the national version of Angelo Stracuzzi and Cliff Nolan and yet you stupidly support and defend him. Do us all a favor and don’t vote ever again.
Have another drink
Have another drink foggy
Nah, TSC you’ve got that one sewed up tight…
That would be you saying the same bs over and over on here.
And yet – Alf would never suggest there was election crimes in the 2020. What do you know, he’s quality stuff by that discernment.
It was nice reading about the topic Dan wrote about, and all the interesting comments, until now. Give it a rest. Trump is done, for now. When he runs again, we might pay attention.
So when is the first live in person debate? If you do not have the courage to do a face to face debate you sure as hell do not have the courage to be in law enforcement. Certainly not a sheriff.
NO virtual debates. It’s a cop out. Period.
All just gaslighting, distracting your attention away from the Election Fraud. You have two Demoncrats (Demonic Bureaucrats) vying for the role of Deep State Protector. And Child Sex Trafficker Protector. Only the bribed and blackmailed members of the Demoncrats will bother to vote. When will Pittsfield wake up and cast off their enslavement? Power to the People.
Planet prayer worked Dan. The child was revived from the near drowning.
https://reason.com/2022/07/25/most-americans-think-government-is-corrupt-a-third-say-armed-revolution-may-be-necessary-soon/
Ask Andrea Harrington if she is pushing for “safe drug supply” and watch her squirm. Harrington’scampaign treasurer is Stephen Murray of North Adams who she claims is “leading the conversation around safe drug supply.” Safe supply means we the tax payers provide the drugs for drug dens. There is no better way to describe how we will buy heroin, cocaine and meth and give them away to drug addicts. Any pretense that this is part of a treatment plan is laughable. Andrea Harrington wants to create pharmacies without pharmacists and provide users with the drugs they crave regardless of the longterm impact on health. Harrington has evolved from no drug law enforcement to drug injection sites to safe drug supply. Show me I’m wrong.
·
Stephen Murray, MPH, NRP
@stephenHRNRP
Husband/dad of 5, Community Implementation Specialist @the_BMC
CARE Unit, Paramedic/Lieutenant, Drug War Survivor #HarmReduction alum: @BUSPH
@UnivMiami
If you love someone who uses, it’s easier to get over your fears of watching them use at your dining room table than it is to bury them. Our people are dying behind locked doors w/ family only feet away every day. Make your home their safe consumption space. #HarmReduction #EMS
COMMITTEE INFORMATION
Committee Name:
Harrington Committee
Treasurer:
Stephen Murray
Committee Address:
P.O. Box 39 West Stockbridge, MA 01254
Cocaine – really?
Pablo Escobar died too soon to see the Commonwealth his best customer.
It’s El Chapos world now, or was until his wife went down.
Don Winslow’s interview in Esquire with El Chapo says it all.
Details Winslow that when Colorado and Oregon legalize weed it cost him billions of dollars and because he is a bottom line business just like any other business he had to recover that loss somehow and even though heroinwas easier to smuggle, with a higher profitability, El Chapo closes the interview by saying why would I do that when I can put two guys in a lab with some chemicals in China and from the few pennies I spend on the chemicals I can make billions? We also points out that America is the largest consumer of illegal drugs and without us he wouldn’t even exist.
This articles from 2018 or thereabouts.
El Chapo straight up told us what was going to happen next and we ignored him.
It’s still boggles my mind that the majority of people don’t even know this interview was even published
I predicted that the legalization of weed will simply drive supply of hard drugs.
For my entire adult life, right up to now, there have always been words that I considered taboo. Over the years, and it’s been several, most of these “‘dirty’ words gradually transitioned it into my adult vocabulary, to now be used almost on a daily basis. So much so, that most of them have become generic. However, the word ‘C***’ for the most part remained on the short list of still taboo words. But now I know what the word means and why it’s necessary. There’s no other word that more actually describes Nipples harrington, the DA drug pusher of the Berserkshires. When she offers up her own sons to be the first in line for her supervised shooting galleries for junkies, and she has to bury one, or both or her sons, THEN, and only THEN, can Nipples school all of us on the Harm Reduction of supervised shooting galleries that keep the monkey on the backs of other people’s kids. There’s nothing harmless about drug addiction. What a C*** NIPPLES harrington is!
Well City,you could have dressed it up some. Maybe Use Feckless before that nasty word.
She may agree with you and take it as a compliment
Harrington’s pro criminal DA cult is against prosecuting drug dealers for supplying drugs in fatal overdoses. They believe the recall of Chesa Boudin is because people are “threatened” by the movement. They are pro “safe injection sites” and drug supply and insist these things are backed by the voters who elected them. Did you vote for this nonsense because I don’t recall them being part of the election of Andrea Harrington.
Over the last few years I’ve come to realize that our health care system and big pharma are one in the same. I guess it’s been that way for a very long time. Back in the 80’s most mental hospitals were closed in favor of prescribing meds to mental patients. We are the most highly medicated country on earth. What happens when these people don’t take their meds, are mis-diagnosed, or also take street drugs? They become impossible for anyone to handle and usually end up in jail, but only after someone gets hurt. If someone has severe dementia they can be placed in a nursing home but where do you put individuals with an equally debilitating mental disorder?
They are literally creating a zombie culture. The living walking dead. More and more and more. Overdose, Narcan, back out on the street to do it again. No one wants to put the numbers of Pittsfield overdose s on the front page. Put them on the front page. Enumerate how many survived and how many did not. No one is asking for names but keeping all this in the shadows is a huge disservice to the community and humanity.
And Steve, I would not want my kid to die behind a closed door either. But I sure as hell would not want to watch him turn himself into a vegetable right in front of me while I stood by eating my broccoli.
Only someone who does not understand would suggest such a thing in the first place.
There’s a new fad,let’s hope it’s an aberrationif you will, going on right here in Pittsfield. Street tagging I’ll call it, Seen it a few places. They tag right on the road and costly to remove.Another good one is just throwing your garbage right in the street,bag and everything like McDonald’s and Burger King left overs,cups and everything,just toss it out the car window.
I agree Fizzle, and where DA Harrington stands on this matter needs to be understood beyond the pages of this blog. She only talks about her drug legalization agenda in the shadows or broadcasts them on facebook pages like the Pittsfield Sentinel where she can be assured there will be no skepticism. Where is the self proclaimed voice of the community, the Berkshire Eagle? Crickets.
I have suttin to say
A day in the lives of junkies, Dickie and Janie. Mother and daddy say, Come Sally, Come Spot, Come Puff, let’s all gather around the family kitchen table to supervise Dickie and Jamie safely inject heroin, aka Dope, Smack, H, Junk, Skag, Snow, Horse, China White, Brown, Hero. Watch Sally, Watch Spot, Watch Puff, Watch Dickie shoot up, Watch Janie shoot up, Watch Sally, Watch! Mother and Daddy are so Happy, Sally is Happy, Spot is Happy, Puff is Happy. Watch Dickie Nod Out, Watch Sally, Watch! Watch Janie Nod Out. Mother and Daddy say, Get the Narcan Sally, Get the F***ing Narcan Sally! And everyone lived happily ever after, except Sally wonders where the family’s new coloured Television disappeared too, and Mother’s wedding ring is gone too. Maybe Spot ate it. And Daddy’s out in shed drinking himself into an early grave. But EVERYONE is HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, DAMN IT!
A wise tale perfect for the grade-school reader, CITY. Well done.
The Ramones ” We’re A Happy Family” can be the soundtrack!
That is funny man….but eerily descriptive of the reality
It isn’t humor I feel here. Something harder.
I agree with Maura Healey’s endorsement(s) of Berkshire County District Attorney Andrea Harrington. I believe that Andrea Harrington’s criminal justice reforms are working for the benefit of the people and the 32 communities in Berkshire County. Andrea Harrington is committed to equity, justice and public safety. To read Maura Healey’s endorsement of D.A. Andrea Harrington’s 2022 reelection campaign, please click on the following link.
Amid gubernatorial bid, Mass. AG Healey endorses Harrington’s re-election bid for Berkshire DA | WAMC
I also agree with Alf Barbalunga that the incarcerated women should do their time at the Berkshire County House of Correction instead of being sent to Chicopee. I support Alf & Andrea: The A-Team!
The only thing Andrea Harrington is committed to is putting criminals before the law abiding citizens as her record as shown. It is not equity, justice and public safety for all when her reform bs works for one group of people (criminals) and not the others, who are part of the same society who chooses not to be criminals.
Listen, I was required to appear before a judge on someone else’s DRUG CHARGES
What the fuck else does anyone need to question.
Anyone who votes for either of these loons need to be section 12’d
When I was there the now
‘Captain’ Stracuzzi was a CO
She would joke about going home to a lobster dinner – not sure if it was funny I really craved iodine and my eyeballs were aching from TED.
I was like, clarified butter & lemon ?
Goiter like a baseball for all you fans ! L OH L
Fucking medical care @ BCHC I still have all my grieving & medical requests from the SUFFERING ON A WRONGFUL CONVICTION REENA ET AL
R. Stracuzzi was a good cop, she took the time to make sure the inmates didn’t die/kill themselves.
The time she spend (to empathize) may have changed the outcome, for the better.
https://berkshireeagle-ma.newsmemory.com?selDate=20220726&goTo=B01&artid=0
Hey Jacuz,
What weights more a pound of feathers or a pound of Lead ?
Radical republican domestic terror in America is led by Don Trump,Steve Bannon with FOX propaganda Media funded by wealthy elites.
Seriously, you sound like a parrot. Go have a cracker and relax.
Led by David Capeless.
TSC: I just don’t worry about Steve Bannon getting into my cornflakes. You simply cannot convince me otherwise.
As for Fox, outside of CNN, MNSB, Yahoo! – where can I go to beef up on the Kardashians?
I never give you thumbs down, but this is too much.
I’m thinking of filing a consumer complaint against Attorney General Healey for once again endorsing the incompetent Andrea Harrington. The complaint will be for providing ineffective law enforcement services. This site will serve as the documentation detailing the allegations against the AG. Whose signing?
I have a bunch of documentation you should include demonstrating actual injustice.
Same.
She and her incompetent staff refusing to go to trial even though that’s what Judge Travel and the accused wanted.
Cops refusing to investigate the alleged crime, unless ordered to by the judge.
Andrea played judge roulette for a full YEAR, until finally the defendants got an unwanted dismissal.
Justice dismissed is justice denied.
I’m actively campaigning against Healey. No governor at all is better than someone this out of touch. How does she come to the Berkshires and say the DA has addressed violent crime when she destroyed the function of the Peoples Lawyer? These backscratching politicians do not care about us. They need to go away, STAT.
Geoff Diehl for Guv!
I think her endorsement of Harrington opened my eyes a bit. If Healy is that embedded it might explain why there is no oversight in Pittsfield. She may be part of the good old boys
Hey – there are exactly 3.5 Republicans in the Statehouse with a State that is at 30% registered independent. For statewide office, we occasionally get a republican (RHINO flavored, but better than the alt. Coakley etc…)
How is that really possible given the odds? Only 5,000 votes in the Commonwealth for non-democrats?
Also – NEVER vote for an AG for political office. They have loose screws.
Don’t even vote AG’s into AG offices.
Ding ding ding
People are really angry about this. Comments show that voters are not going to take it. Harrington sh&t the bed and now Healey expects them to lie in it. No.
It’s clear that Healey puts politics above public safety. And this from a sitting AG? I think it speaks loud and clear that Healey has no integrity
They are all woke. That’s all that matters. They are all pushing the far left agenda. Government Fat Cats like Blackrock are buying up trailer parks and raising the rent 30% on elderly and disabled people who live there. This is Joe Biden’s America. It’s this ruling class that doesn’t care about we the people. They only care about their own fortune and power.
How long before hospital / police are required to report a brain injury / death / etc. What is considered, “reasonable” duration ?
The whole community is on the suckle.
In Berkshire County the DA shits on rape victims & sides the ADDICTS.
Alex Jones a Trump insurectionist goes on trial for his Qanon conspiracies that say Sandyhook was a staged event….Anybody here believe this was a staged event?
Bowler Wins.
He is hit by a bad argument and makes a better argument. Barbal lunges back dreaming of State Awards and Medals which are useless pieces of scrap and impress no one. -1 for Barbal, 0 for Bowler who already tried that punch.
Now for the finale:
Barbalunga asked in his press release. “Is he unable to perform his duties?”
Sheriff Bowler: “I’m fine. Thanks for asking. However, you don’t know what you’re taking about.”
Counting and Barbal is still on his back.
I/you don’t know what you’re talking about is the 101. It is the correct answer every time.
This is fabulous. Just saw on sporting news the baseball skilled kid from Adams, Matt Koperniak, has been promoted to a baseball’s Triple A league. The major leagues are the next stop. This is great news for the youngster. Triple A – not bad Matt. We’re cheering for you Matt. Major leagues are the stop. This kid can do it.
How do you shoot a woman in broad daylight in downtown Pittfield in front of witnesses and get not get charged with attempted murder? Only with assault. This is not a joke. OK it is a joke because our DA is crowing about “prioritizing crime” but doesn’t go after the bad guys.
She’s working on it and is getting better and better.
Every day, DA Harrington opens her Learn To Be DA For Dummies and learns a new trick.
Squeaky Harrington asked the other Mass. district attorneys on a virtual meeting if there was a book she could get on how to be a DA. True story. Call a couple DAs and ask them. Then ask her and chock up another lie. Can you imagine if you hired a divorce lawyer or a dentist and they asked if there was a book on how to do the job? It’s like a cartoon.
Andrea Harrington’s fundraising can be traced almost entirely to AG Healey. Healey provided Harrington with a fundraiser who also serves as finance director for the Healey campaign. At least 25 contributors totaling over $8k in Dec. alone came as the result of this partnership. The bulk of the rest of Harrington’s contributions come from outside the county or state. The Kapanski’s would like to know if this is the way Harrington has “partnered” with AG Healey. Thank you for your follow up.
Divorce lawyer:no.
Dentist: yes!
Harington is in the wrong field
Yeah sure thing. Go back to flipping burgers
Trump said he could do that and his FOX viewers would still vote for him
The woman was protecting her CHILD from a sexual proposition by this violent predator and was shot 3 times for it in downtown Pittsfield. The man has a criminal record out of Georgia including violent offenses and firearm charges.
Andrea Harrington thinks this charge of assault constitutes holding someone accountable!. All Harrington cares about is Harrington. This is the case they could win in an election season. That should disgust every person man woman and child.
I own a house with a lot of road frontage on a well traveled road. Idiot Harrington supporters came and asked if I would let them put up signs.
I told them no.
I also have cameras that record the street, my property, a view from the mailbox of the frontage.
They came back and offered to pay me if the could put up 4 signs. Again I told them no.
A day later the signs were up. I took them down. I reviewed the video footage, it was the same to people who asked me and were told twice no.
So then they came to my door again and asked if I took their signs because that is stealing.
I told them yes I took them down because they were on my private property. Idiot woman one tells me how Andrea told them they only had to ask “as a courtesy” but they could put the signs up because they are putting the signs in the right of way.
I guess Andrea knows as much about real estate law as she does about criminal law.
The “right of way” only applies to municipal uses, any easements are for the power company.
I will be filing a complaint and I hope to get a trespass order
Andrea you boney assed shrill bitch get the fuck out of office