CANDIDATES GEAR UP FOR COUNTY ELECTIONS; PROSECUTOR TO SEEK A FOURTH TERM

Cape Girardeau County's chief prosecutor announced before a gathering of law enforcement officers Tuesday that he intends to file next week for re-election to a fourth term.

Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, a Republican, made the announcement at the beginning of a search and seizure law training session that he was conducting for about 50 officers from throughout the county.

"As I've said before, I have the best job in Southeast Missouri. As prosecutor, I have the chance to try to bring justice to the world," Swingle said.

"I renew my promise to the people of our county and to the officers in this room that I will continue to work long and hard to ensure aggressive, honest and fair enforcement of the criminal laws in this country."

Swingle, 42, who is in his 16th year in the prosecutor's office, was first elected prosecuting attorney in 1986, after serving four years as an assistant prosecutor.

Swingle said he has prosecuted thousands of cases, including more than 80 jury trials. He has prosecuted more than 40 homicide cases and has obtained the death penalty three times.

He has published articles on criminal law in "The Missouri Law Review," "The Journal of the Missouri Bar" and "The Missouri Prosecutor" and has written a chapter for the Missouri Bar Association's book, "Criminal Practice in Missouri."

In 1995, Swingle won the W. Olver Rasch award from the Missouri Bar Association for the most outstanding article published that year in their journal.

Missouri Mothers Against Drunk Driving presented him with an award in 1992 for his vigorous prosecution of DWI cases in the county.

Swingle is a member of the National District Attorneys Association, the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, the National Trial Lawyers Association and the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association.