Assistant prosecutor Sutherland dies while skydiving

Southeast Missourian

He once showed up at a manhunt for an escaped murderer wearing combat fatigues and carrying a shotgun. He had an 18-year-old pet python named Monty. He was everything from a decorated Green Beret to published author, from strict-but-just prosecutor to tender and generous friend.

And even after he retired from the Army, he was always the colonel.

Ian Sutherland, who has been a Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecuting attorney since 1988, died Saturday afternoon from injuries related to a skydiving accident. He was 70.

"He was an excellent prosecutor," said former Cape Girardeau police chief Howard "Butch" Boyd, who worked with Sutherland until Boyd retired seven years ago. "He was totally dedicated to the law. He gave to the law what he did to his military career. He was one of the most intense people I've ever met in my life."

Sutherland was pronounced dead at about 1 p.m. Saturday at Missouri Delta Medical Center at Sikeston, Mo., according to Mississippi County Coroner Terry Parker. That was about an hour after Sutherland's accident at the Mississippi County Airport, which is about six miles south of Charleston, Mo. The cause was massive trauma to the chest.

Airport manager Stan Hubbard was a witness to the accident as well as a member of the skydiving club with Sutherland, which meets on most weekends, weather permitting. Hubbard, who is a skydiving safety training adviser, said that Sutherland and four others had been flown in a Cessna 206 to about 4,000 feet.

Sutherland jumped out and opened his chute at about 3,500 feet and immediately experienced trouble, Hubbard said.

"His main chute started spinning," Hubbard said. "He probably got down to about 1,000 feet before he initiated his emergency chute. But he did that without releasing his main chute."

With both chutes open, it sent Sutherland into what is called a "down plane," which is basically straight toward the earth at a high speed.

"He should have released his main chute," Hubbard said. "That would have alleviated the problem. I don't know why he didn't."

Hubbard rushed to the scene of Sutherland's accident to find him still alive and slipping in and out of consciousness.

"He wasn't totally coherent," Hubbard said. "We spoke a little bit to figure out what the extent of his injuries were."

Sutherland died later at the hospital.

'Excellent skydiver'

Hubbard said that Sutherland was an "excellent, very competent," skydiver, who had been jumping since his days in the Army. He said that Sutherland also was a skydiving instructor who had been given the highest rating that is bestowed by the United States Parachuting Association.

"Why he didn't release that first chute, there's no way to know," Hubbard said. "Everyone reacts differently. No way to know."

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, who hired Sutherland, was very shaken by the death of his assistant and good friend.

"It will be a devastating hole in the office," Swingle said. "He was an incredible workhorse as a prosecutor. I relied on him so much. Also, personally, because he's just been a right hand for me for 15 years and a good friend besides."

Swingle said it was important that people know how fascinating Sutherland's life was.

Sutherland was born in Jefferson City, Tenn. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S Army and served with the 82nd Airborne Division and various Special Forces units, including the Green Berets.

Following his first stint, he graduated from Carson-Newman College with degrees in biology and chemistry. He then got his master's degree in zoology and physiology from Tulane University in New Orleans, La.

Then Sutherland re-entered the military, where he was a member of the Old Guard -- the Army's ceremonial unit -- and participated in the state funerals for President Kennedy and Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

But his heart was with the Special Forces and he was reassigned there and served in Vietnam. He served three tours in Vietnam, including once as an officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. He also worked with prisoner of war recovery units.

His awards are numerous and included the Silver Star, two Legion of Merits and five Bronze Stars.

Second career

Then, Sutherland embarked on his second career, the law. After retirement, Sutherland went to Harvard University, getting a master's of public administration. Then he went to law school at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Later, he wrote a book, "The U.S Army Special Forces, 1952-1982," and was scheduled to have another military book published this summer.

The then top presidential military adviser Colin Powell, after reading Sutherland's book, wrote a letter telling him it was "the authoritative" book on the Special Forces.

After moving to Cape Girardeau, Sutherland worked as a prosecutor for the city, but soon caught the eye of Swingle, who admired Sutherland for his accomplishments in the law, even though it was a second career.

During his stint with the prosecutor's office, he tried more than 100 jury trials, making a lasting impression on those he met.

John Grimm, a lawyer and former Cape Girardeau circuit judge, got to know Sutherland early on and said his first trial as a lawyer was against Sutherland.

"He was one of the most experienced prosecutors in the area," Grimm said. "He was also a good guy to consult and get advice from. What a loss."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Ferrell was also a friend who had lunch with Sutherland last week.

"He loved to skydive," Ferrell said. "He was talking about diving and how much he still enjoyed it. He was a man of great principle and character."

Assistant prosecuting attorney Teresa Pearson said that when she needed a part-time job so she could spend time with family, her friend Sutherland asked to be cut back to part time in order to create a job for her.

"He was like that," she said. "What a terrible shock and a loss to the legal community and to me personally. In many ways, he was a mentor to me."

Sutherland was survived by three children and two sisters.

His sister, Alice Pryor, who lives in Jefferson City, Tenn., said the family is trying to cope.

"It was a terrible shock," she said. "But if he had to go, this is certainly the way Ian would want to go. He loved parachuting. If it had to be, this is the way he would want to go."

smoyers@semissourian.com

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