Who I'm Looking Up To: Alvin Shpeen

I was shocked to learn that I was not the first little person my father had met. Considering that I am the only little person in my family, I just assumed he had never met one until I entered his world in February of 1995. Ten years earlier, almost to the day, my dad was sworn in as an assistant prosecutor for Gloucester County. The county prosecutor who hired him went on to serve as a judge, assistant state attorney general, member of the Gloucester County College Board of Trustees and mayor of Glassboro. His name was Alvin Shpeen and he was a little person. 

From Left to Right: Prosecutor Sean Dalton and Judge Walter Marshall

Alvin Shpeen stood tall at 3’9” and he rose to each esteemed position without the protection of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Public spaces, such as courtrooms, were not required to be handicap accessible and they weren’t. He didn’t ask for special treatment. He made himself seen by having a special chair when sitting on the bench Yet, according to people who worked with him on a daily basis, the only accommodation he made was to have a special chair so he could sit properly and be seen. I had the privilege of speaking to two of his former colleagues, Prosecutor Sean Dalton and Judge Walter Marshall who provided such great insight of a man I wish I got to know.

What were your initial impressions of him? 

Judge Marshall: As a kid, he was over at our house from time to time. The first Phillies game I ever saw, my father took me and Alvin. I wanted to play with him and I had to learn he was a man, not a boy. I always respected him. When I was a young lawyer and had a case that was dumped on me and Alvin was on the other side. I remember calling him up and he asked “So-and-so didn’t give you the such-and-such case?” I said yes and he said “That’s not fair.” He called the judge and had the judge call it off. If I had a problem or an issue I called him; you could talk to him and he would help you. He was like that to everyone. He was always very helpful. 

What, if any accommodations, were made for him in the courtroom and in the offices?  

Judge Marshall: He was pretty tough. I don’t think that when he appeared in court that anything was done for him. As a judge, he had a different chair so he could sit properly and be seen. The only real accommodation people made for him was getting the bartender’s attention when he wanted a drink at the bar.

Prosecutor Dalton: None that I’m aware of. He had his own chair but, as far as the desk and bathroom, he was the one who made the accommodations he needed without asking for help. 

How did people, from judges to other lawyers to victims/defendants/witnesses treat him? 

Judge Marshall: Great. Everybody treated him the way Alvin wanted to be treated, just like you. He didn’t ask for accommodations. Somebody claimed they saw him step on top of a briefcase so the judge could see him better. He was treated like an equal because he deserved it. He was likeable and intelligent and never acted as if he needed anybody’s help.Treated him like an equal because he deserved it- likable, intelligent. Never acted as if he needed anybody’s help...with one exception. The only time he really asked for help was when he needed someone to get the bartender’s attention. 

Prosecutor Dalton: He was very well-respected. He was smart and possessed good communication and interpersonal skills. He was easily approachable and was able to relate to different people. He often used his dwarfism as a way to break the ice. People respected him for his intellect and what he accomplished. 

Do you think he was ever underestimated because of his stature? 

Judge Marshall: I don’t think so. I don’t think his personality let that happen. I would think that traveling around to municipal courts as a young lawyer he had to prove himself. You had to respect him because he earned respect. He was very competent and capable. Nobody I knew failed to respect him. I can’t speak for people I didn’t know such as strangers and lawyers from other counties. I’m sure he got sideways looks but he would quickly let everyone know he knew what he was doing. You never saw him unprepared and he never embarrassed himself.

Prosecutor Dalton: I never had cases with him. I’m sure he was (at their own peril). 

What lasting impression did he leave on the office?

Judge Marshall: He wanted to be treated just like everybody else and the way he handled himself, he demanded that and you automatically gave it to him. His overall personality, who he was, shined. He was a number one person. 

Prosecutor Dalton: Someone with high intellect with impeccable integrity. He was a consummate straight shooter who was going to make decisions based upon the facts of the case and the law and nothing else really mattered. 

Thank you Judge Marshall and Prosecutor Dalton for taking the time to speak with me.

I never had the privilege to know Alvin, but his legacy lives on. Every article I’ve read about him echoed the sentiments expressed by Judge Marshall and Prosecutor Dalton. My dad always, always spoke highly of him. When I was officially diagnosed he called my mom to see how she and I were doing and to ask if she had any questions. She had one, “How do you (a little person) go to the bathroom?” His response, “I do it everyday but I’m not going to tell you.” When he passed away, his family, knowing that I’m a little person, gave my parents Alvin’s judicial robes. To say we were incredibly honored is an understatement and to this day, the robes serve as a constant reminder that being a little person does limit the heights one can reach.