Prosecutor’s Office
Welcome to the Office of the Prosecutor for Vernon County, Missouri. I am your Prosecutor Lynn Ewing, III.
The prosecutor is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the criminal law. Every case involves the most important rights guaranteed to crime victims and defendants: freedom. The prosecutor’s job, as defined in the rules and standards for prosecutors is not to secure a conviction at any cost, but to do justice.
The prosecutor bears the entire burden of a system designed solely to protect the rights of the accused. There are no second chances (double jeopardy) and there is no right for the state to appeal . The performance of the prosecutor is therefore absolutely critical. The prosecutor’s knowledge and skill are all that stands between a criminal and his freedom.