James Gordon Gregory

Memorials may be made to Lymphoma Research, Siteman Cancer Center, St. Louis, Missouri. James G. Gregory, a veteran St. Charles County prosecutor known for his gravelly voice, dogged determination and soft heart, died Wednesday (Dec. 28, 2005) after a year long battle with Lymphona. He was 71. Mr. Gregory, of O'Fallon, was known thoughout the region as an expert on criminal law. His boss, County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas, said lawyers and judges throughout the state often called him for advice and used him as a legal resource. I've never seen a man driven the way he is,'' Banas said. ''He certainly never stopped looking fro the right answers. He would give you those answers whether you would want to hear them or not.'' Mr. Gregory was born in Montgomery County, MO., and earned a bachelor's degree from Westminister College in Fulton, Mo. He received his law degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he stayed and practiced law for nearly 10 years. After returning to Missouri, he was elected Montgomery County prosecutor and held that job from 1971 through 1976. He also worked several years in private practice in criminal defense and corporate civil law and served as a special prosecutor for cases in St. Charles County. In 1994, he joined the prosecutor's staff in St. Charles County. He was hired by then-prosecutor Timothy Braun. ''He was one of those rocks that you need in a prosecutor's office,'' Braun said. At the time of his death, Mr. Gregory was first assistant prosecutor. During his career, he handled several high-profile cases, including the murder of Janice Kapeller, the HIV injection case of Brian Stewart and the elderly abuse cases at Claywest Nursing Home. Braun and others spoke of Mr. Gregory sending them e-mails and voice messages at wee hours of the morning, after poring for hours through legal texts for ammunition for his cases. ''I think I found what we need to get this guy!'' He'd say/ Philip Groenweghe, another prosecutor, worked closely with Mr. Gregory on several cases that Groenweghe thought impossible to win. ''He had an ability to see whtat was possible,'' Gorenweghe said. ''He liked to see justice done. He wasn't afraid to work to get to that point.'' Presiding Judge Joe Briscoe said: ''He was probably one of the best prosecutors, if not the best, this county has ever seen.'' Co-workers, friends and even juries likened him to television lawyer Ben Matlock. Underneath the gruff exterior and bulldog attitude was a heart of gold, friends said. Bruan recalled the day Mr. Gregory pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and told him to do something nice for the courthouse secretaries. St. Charles County Sheriff's Lt. Steve Roach, who worked with Mr. Gregory on several criminal cases, said Mr. Gregory often invited him to his home to talk about a case. ''He let me know as an investigator he was there for me, but also as a friend he was there for me,'' Roach said. During especially intense cases, Mr. Gregory was known in the courtroom to give closing arguments through tears. At other times, while he and defense attorneys argued points in front of a judge, Mr. Gregory muttered wry remarks under breath - yet loud enough for the entire courtroom to hear. Even though his illness and treatments made him feel sick at times, Mr. Gregory insisted on coming to work when colleagues insisted he go home to rest. Last week, he wore an overcoat while inside at work, and co-workers suspected he was running a fever. He entered Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis over the weekend. On Wednesday, Joan Koechig, a victim's advocate with the prosecutor's office, pointed out Mr. Gregory's glasses on his desk, poised as if he were returning to work. ''We wish he was,'' she said. Among survivors are two sons, Brad Gregory of Bolivar, Mo., and Craig Gregory of Jonesburg; two daughters, Lisa Lyons of Springfield, Mo., and Gina Bowders of St. Charles; and 10 grandchildren.