A Tribute to Court Security Officer Bernard Hughes
December 20, 1944-May 15, 2010

By Laura Kiernan

Court security officer Bernie Hughes was one of those people you just don't forget. He was a big tall Irishman, with a lot of charm who was also an impish practical joker and an impromptu showman who would launch into a Broadway show tune at the slightest opportunity. Most important to everyone who worked with him, Bernie Hughes was a supportive and protective presence in the courthouse, whether it was during his 12 years at Plymouth District Court or in Concord Family Division, which was his last assignment. You were confident that Bernie Hughes would look out for you.

Bernie's wife Barbara, children Patrick, Mary and Margaret and grandchildren all gathered in July with court staff, local police officers and sheriff's deputies, lawyers and friends at Plymouth District Court to remember Bernie Hughes and to share their stories about him. Administrative Judge Edwin Kelly described Bernie, a retired Rhode Island police officer, as one of those characters you meet in life who "have a special impact that sets them apart." His sense of humor and his songs (some of which he made up on the spot) had a way of relieving the day-to-day stress of working in the busy district court and family division. But, as Judge Kelly said, the pranks and the singing were really just a cover for Bernie, who demonstrated everyday, just by stopping by your desk everyday to check in, that he genuinely cared about every single person he worked with, and for the community. Bernie once said he enjoyed the "neutrality" of his second career in the courts, which allowed him to get to know people on both sides. He regularly attended jury trials in Plymouth "Teen Court ," provided nighttime security for mock trials conducted by students from Plymouth State University and visited local schools so that young people could learn about the court system. He trained security personnel for the family visitation center and gave courthouse tours, complete with history, humor and song.

The organizers of the gathering in Courtroom #1 made sure that Bernie's light-hearted side was well represented. The background music as guests entered the courtroom was Bernie's "playlist" of favorite Irish songs - "When Irish eyes are Smiling," "Good Bye Johnny" and "The Unicorn Song" among them. To the right of the judge's bench, against the wall, stood Bernie's now legendary "courthouse dummy," a life-size stuffed doll, propped up on a 2 x 4, which for years, mysteriously appeared in different outfits in various spots in the courthouse - guaranteed to make whomever saw it first jump. Standing beside the courthouse dummy was " mini-Me ," a doll with Bernie's face, dressed in a double breasted suit, which Sandy Poitras, now retired from Plymouth District, and clerk Deb Nichols presented to Bernie on his 60th birthday.

It was Sandy Poitras (who worked for the court system for 40 years), Marie Jacobs (now a nurse in St. Louis) and Patty Paquette (now deputy clerk Laconia) who brought the first life size dummy to the Plymouth courthouse in 1998 as a way to "get back" at Bernie who had been startling the staff with various practical jokes. As the story goes, Bernie reached for his gun when he came upon the dummy in an elevator the first time. From there, Sandy says, Bernie took the dummy idea and ran with it - the dummy would appear in a closet or seated in the library, wearing Bernie's old police officer's uniform, or decked out as a golfer or a polo player. Bernie even chauffeured the dummy, dressed in a tuxedo, to Sandy Poitras' retirement party. A DHHS employee who came upon the courthouse dummy in the restroom - and screamed. The judges could not avoid the dummy either.

"Everytime he would get me," Judge Stephen Samaha told Bernie's family and friends in Plymouth , "I'd go through the roof."

Bernie's humor, and most of all his kind heart will not be forgotten. The security center at the entrance to Plymouth District Court has been dedicated to his memory. Next to the plaque commemorating Bernie's service is a photograph that was taken in June 2001 when Bernie received the Spirit of the Judiciary award.

"The staff at the Plymouth District Court and Family Division would like to thank Bernie for a safe, fun place to work," Diane Lane, who was then the clerk at Plymouth District, said when she nominated Bernie for the award. "He just really likes people and cares about them," Lane said at the time. "He likes to have the court feel like they are one big team, working together," she added.

At the close of the recent gathering in Plymouth , in the same courtroom where Bernie had received that award, Jason Jordanhazy, the current director of the Judicial Branch Security Department described Bernie as someone who taught others how to be happy and joyful. "When Bernie was among us, he was always admired," Jordanhazy said, speaking for all of his colleagues in the security department. Now, Jason said, Bernie will not only be admired, but remembered as a kind-hearted security officer, and friend.