Police Officer James Russell Sorrow

I served as a Deputy U.S. Marshal in Greenville, SC, when Officer Sorrow was tragically killed in the line of duty.

I had met him briefly—he lived next door to a young boy, my son, who was nine at the time. They played together. Threw baseballs in the yard. When my son heard the news, he was stunned. That moment made the loss deeply personal.

I was involved in the arrest at the hotel and later had direct contact with the suspect in our Marshals cellblock. I escorted him to federal court, and during one transport—when South Carolina Department of Corrections brought him to our facility—I found a razor blade hidden in his shoe.

The danger was real.

The sacrifice, unforgettable.

Not long after, I came across a penciled memorial portrait of Officer Sorrow—created by local artist Mickey Tate. It showed him in uniform, with a black band across the badge symbolizing a fallen officer.

I framed that portrait and carried it with me throughout my career. It sat on my office shelf in Macon, Georgia as supervisor; in Hawaii, where I served as Chief Deputy and Acting U.S. Marshal; in Washington D.C. at Marshals Headquarters; and finally in New Mexico, where I retired as Chief Deputy in 2012.

That portrait wasn’t for display. It was for discipline. It reminded me to make the hard decisions—especially the unpopular ones. I mandated protective vests on directed arrests, even in heat and discomfort, because I refused to gamble with lives. When mentoring supervisors, I would point to Russell’s image and say:

“See that young man? He died. And I will never falter when unpopular decisions must be made to protect those who may not know they need protecting.”

I never lost a Deputy. Never had one seriously injured or killed. And I testify that Officer Sorrow’s sacrifice helped me achieve that. His legacy lives on in the decisions we make to protect those who serve.

I—and many others—still think of him to this day.

He is not forgotten.

And that is why I am here now, posting this in honor of Russell.

With deepest respect,

Michael A. Ferstl
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal – Retired
November 11, 2025

Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal - Retired
United States Marshals Service - Retired

November 11, 2025