Gustave Diamond

Gustave Diamond, 93, former United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, passed away at his home in McMurray on Saturday, October 30, 2021.
Judge Diamond was born and raised in Burgettstown, where he graduated from Union High School in 1945, and then attended Duke University on a football scholarship. He left Duke in 1946 to join the United States Navy, serving until 1948. Upon discharge from military service, he returned to Duke to finish his education under the GI Bill, graduated in 1951, and then worked at J&L Steel for one year before beginning night classes at Duquesne University School of Law.
After graduating from Duquesne in 1956, Judge Diamond served as a law clerk to federal Judge Rabe F. Marsh until 1961. Following his clerkship, he joined the United States Attorney's Office in the Western District of Pennsylvania as an Assistant United States Attorney and then First Assistant. He was appointed the United States Attorney for this District in February 1963, serving for a time under U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and he remained in that office until June 1969. He subsequently was in private practice in Pittsburgh and Washington County until 1978.
President Jimmy Carter appointed Diamond to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in 1978, and he later served as Chief Judge of the Court for two years. One of the most highly publicized cases he presided over was United States v. Curtis Strong, tried in 1985, which involved the sale of cocaine to well-known Major League Baseball players, who had been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for their testimony. The case attracted national interest, and the courtroom was filled to capacity for every court session, with half reserved for members of news media from around the country who covered the proceedings. Judge Diamond assumed Senior Judge status in 1994, and he maintained a full criminal case docket until his retirement on January 24, 2017.
During his 39 years on the bench, Judge Diamond was especially proud to have chaired the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on Defender Services for five years. He also was extremely honored to have received the Century Club award as one of Duquesne University's 100 outstanding graduates of its first century, the prestigious Solon Award of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association in 1993, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1998, and the Robert E. Dauer Award for Judicial Excellence given by Amen Corner in 2012.
Judge Diamond relished his time serving as a federal district judge and often commented that there was never a day that he was not happy to go to work. He made an indelible mark on the legal community in Western Pennsylvania and beyond, inspiring all who were fortunate enough to have worked with him as a colleague, served as one of his law clerks, tried cases before him, interacted with him in the courthouse, or knew him as a friend.
Judge Diamond is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Emma Scarton Yoney Diamond; daughter, Margaret Ann Diamond; grandson Elias Gustave Diamond; and brothers Nicholas Diamond and Stanley Diamond. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Margaret (Solinsky) Diamond; former wife, Athena Diamond; stepdaughter, Jo Anne Yoney; and sister, Helen Diamond.
The family will greet friends from 2-4PM and 6-8PM on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at Beinhauer Funeral Home, 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, Pennsylvania, where a Trisagion Service will be held Tuesday at 7:30PM. Additional Visitation will be held at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 123 Gilkeson Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, 10-11AM with a funeral service to follow at 11AM with Father Michael Kallaur and Father John Chakos officiating. Interment will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in McMurray.
Memorials or donations may be made to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church (https://www.holycrosspgh.org/donate) or Duquesne University School of Law (https://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/law/alumni/support-duquesne-law).
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