BOSTON, June 15, 2017— A Suffolk County prosecutor assigned to District Attorney Dan Conley’s Gang Unit was honored yesterday for his work in the courtroom and his positive presence in the communities he serves.
The 14th Annual Suffolk Awards were presented yesterday evening at Suffolk University Law School, honoring prosecutors, advocates, civilian investigators, and support staff for their dedicated efforts on behalf of the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.
Assistant District Attorney Adrian Bispham of Conley’s Gang Unit was recognized during the ceremony with the Brian J. Honan Award for Excellence in the Courtroom and Commitment to the Communities We Serve. The award, named in honor of the late teacher, prosecutor, and Boston city councilor, is given each year a prosecutor who embodies the values of courtroom excellence and community engagement.
“My brother Brian believed that personal connections were a part of public service,” said Representative Kevin G. Honan, who attended the event. “This year’s Honan Award winner is constantly in court or at the grand jury, most recently on an extremely complex six-defendant, seven-event series of break-ins and armed robberies. But he’s never too busy to meet Suffolk County residents where they live, work, and go to school. Whether it’s at a courthouse, a classroom, a conference table, or a community center, Assistant District Attorney Adrian Bispham gives 100 percent of himself 100 percent of the time,” Honan said.
“Adrian is tireless in his efforts to improve the lives of Suffolk County residents,” Conley said. “From his duties as a gang prosecutor to the time he spends visiting schoolkids, he’s dedicated himself to the communities we serve. He represents the highest ideals of this office – integrity, fairness, and service.”
In recent months, Bispham has judged a moot court program at Boston Preparatory Charter Public School, taken part in the DA’s weekly Reading Day program at Joseph Lee Elementary School, and discussed the role of prosecutors with students at the Boston Renaissance Charter School. He has also mentored the Suffolk County Advanced Trial Training team, served as captain of the DA’s Lawyers Have Heart 5k race team, raising funds for the American Heart Association, and joined in a community breakfast to support the Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club.
“And that’s just since April,” Honan exclaimed.
Also honored last night were Assistant District Attorneys Philip Cheng, Vincent DeMore, Michele Granda, Donna Jalbert Patalano, Kacie Sherman, and Jack Zanini; Victim-Witness Advocates Edith Ayusa and Catherine McGuane; Civilian Investigators Nelson Alvarez and Bill Durette; and Administrative Assistant Ramon Pascual.
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