CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The pursuit of justice has been Larry Ferrell's lifelong passion, first as a county prosecutor and most recently as a federal prosecutor.
During a career spanning more than three decades, Ferrell has prosecuted thousands of cases, as well as assisted in the prosecution of Saddam Hussein for war crimes against the people of Iraq.
Ferrell's legal career began even before he graduated from law school.
"I started as an intern with the Jackson County prosecuting attorney's office," Ferrell said. "Then, I became an assistant prosecuting attorney for Jackson County when I graduated from law school in 1980."
While in Jackson County, Ferrell said, he was assigned to the career criminal division.
"I got to see some of the very best prosecutors in the state and work with them on a daily basis," he said. "I was able assist in the prosecution of major criminal cases in Jackson County."
Then, in December 1980, Ferrell said, Stephen Limbaugh Jr. (now a U.S. district judge) hired him as the first assistant prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County.
Ferrell subsequently was elected to the office.
"My son was born on New Year's Eve (in 1982); I became prosecutor on New Year's Day," Ferrell said.
After serving one term, Ferrell went into private practice until 1991 when he was approached by then U.S. Attorney Stephens Higgins.
"Mr. Higgins had got permission from the Department of Justice to establish a satellite office in Cape Girardeau," Ferrell explained.
Higgins, he said, asked him to accept the position as chief of the criminal division for the Southeastern Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office. It's a position he would hold for 26 years until his recent retirement.
"When I was asked to take the position, I felt that perhaps the greatest contribution I could make in my legal career would be to leave the people of Southeast Missouri with a permanent federal law enforcement presence, so I accepted the challenge of establishing a United States Attorney's Office in Cape Girardeau," Ferrell said.
Starting out, he said, he didn't know what to expect.
"I took (the position) with a mission in mind and no consideration where it might lead," Ferrell said. "I always tried to do the best job I could do and let the future take care of itself. ... It certainly was my hope that the office would do well."
Ferrell said he concentrated on the "mission before us, and 26 years have gone by."
During those 26 years, Ferrell said, all of the federal law enforcement agencies have become "deeply entrenched."
The Southeastern District now has both a full-time U.S. district judge and magistrate judge, as well as an "incredible new federal courthouse," Ferrell said.
But, in the beginning, "we didn't know if the office would be a success or not," said Ferrell, who indicated the office handled 20 percent of all prosecutions for the Eastern District of Missouri in its first year with just two attorneys. The office now has five attorneys.
"I feel it is fair to say that over the next 26 years we've exceeded everyone's expectations," Ferrell said.
Since its inception, Ferrell said, the office has handled more than 3,500 criminal investigations and 2,000 criminal indictments.
"The biggest change, we seated the first grand jury in the history of Southeast Missouri," Ferrell said.
Prior to that time, federal cases occurring in the Southeast Missouri area were prosecuted in St. Louis, Mo.
"Anytime we had a case that had a federal nexus, we had to wait for an attorney from St. Louis to be assigned, even if they took an interest," explained Drew Juden, former director of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.
If a case was filed, officers and witnesses would have to travel to St. Louis, so not many Southeast Missouri cases were prosecuted in federal court, Ferrell said.
"The reason that office was established was because there was a cry from local and state law enforcement that we needed some help," said Juden, who now heads the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
"We pushed on the U.S. senators and representatives, finally ending up with a U.S. attorney in Cape Girardeau," said Juden. "It's a huge asset to the criminal justice system in Southeast Missouri."
Juden said it now is much easier to "present cases A to a federal grand jury or B to the U.S. Attorney's Office for consideration."
Ferrell, according to Juden, always has been "very responsive to law enforcement needs and looking at the big picture, especially when it comes to complex criminal investigations."
Cape Girardeau Chief of Police Wes Blair agreed.
"I came from the Dallas, Texas, area; federal prosecutors there were good prosecutors, but they were not as accessible as Larry is," Blair said.
Ferrell, he said, always took phone calls and was available to answer questions.
"He's been extremely aggressive working with us especially on fighting gun crimes," Blair said.
Although the city of Cape Girardeau's overall crime numbers were down for 2017, "our gun crimes are up," Blair said. "(Having a) federal prosecutor is really beneficial in getting some of those felons off the street. That's what Larry's been good about helping with."
Poplar Bluff Chief of Police Danny Whiteley first met Ferrell in the early 1990s when he brought over "gun free/drug free" signs for the Poplar Bluff School District.
At that time, Whiteley was serving on the school board.
"Since then, we have worked together on many cases that he adopted through the federal system," Whiteley said. "I have come to respect Larry greatly as a close friend of myself, law enforcement and the citizens of Missouri."
As he reflects back, Ferrell attributes the success of the office to the "great attorneys that we have had over the years and the outstanding work of our federal law enforcement agencies and their state and local counterparts."
Ferrell believes the key to success is building a strong relationship with all the agencies.
"We've tried to foster the very best working relationship possible between state and federal law enforcement," Ferrell said.
"I think we have a great relationship with all the federal agencies, the state and local law enforcement and the county prosecuting attorneys," said Ferrell, who indicated a "great percentage, if not the majority," of the cases prosecuted at the federal level originate with the state or local counties.
Serving as a county prosecutor, Ferrell said, is a highlight of his career and provided him with "invaluable experience."
During that time, Ferrell said, he prosecuted Douglas Wayne Thompson, which was "one of the most significant criminal prosecutions in Southeast Missouri."
Ferrell said he retried Thompson for the murder of a police officer 23 years after it occurred in 1961.
"Obviously, the two tours in Iraq would be highlights of a career," said Ferrell. "Two of the greatest blessings was to have a chance to serve in the Regime Office in Iraq and assist in the prosecution of Saddam Hussein, then to serve as the justice attache for a while."
As the justice attache, Ferrell aided Iraqi officials in implementing a Rule of Law and establishing a criminal justice system there.
One of Ferrell's most recent highlights included the prosecution of Clay Waller, which was "the last case I (handled) an as assistant U.S. attorney."
Waller was sentenced earlier this month to 35 years on a federal crime related to his wife's murder.
During his career, Ferrell said, he has tried virtually every kind of case.
"I've tried over 100 jury trials as a state and federal prosecutor," he said. " ... I have obtained convictions in 100 percent of my trials."
Ferrell said if someone would have told him as a high school senior this would be his professional career, "I would have said you must be talking to the wrong person."
Although Ferrell always knew he wanted to be a trial lawyer, he said, he "could never imagine where that would lead me."
Law enforcement, he said, has been the "central part" of his professional life for 32 years.
"I've always felt that it was a tremendous privilege to represent the people of the United States of America," he said. "No longer serving in the capacity will be a tremendous personal adjustment."
Ferrell said he loves his job.
"I think I've had the best job you could ever have practicing law," he said. "It would be easy to stay on with the Department of Justice. I believe there are other areas I can make greater contributions to in the years ahead."
Ferrell said he intends to join his son, Matthew, and a very good friend in private practice.
"It's a rare opportunity to have a chance to practice with your son," he said.