Rams' Little receives two years probation

CLAYTON, Mo. -- Rams defensive end Leonard Little was sentenced Friday to two years probation -- and a special condition that he not consume alcohol -- for highway speeding in St. Louis County last year.

Little, who police said was driving 78 miles an hour in a 55-mph zone on Interstate 64 in Ladue, was convicted last month of misdemeanor speeding. But he was acquitted of driving while intoxicated, a felony given his pleading guilty in a manslaughter case six years ago in which he admitted he was drunk.

On Friday, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Emmett O'Brien rejected a prosecutor's request that Little get 30 days of "shock time" in jail. But O'Brien emphasized that the 30-year-old athlete may not consume alcohol as a condition of his probation, and that if he does he'll get six months in jail.

"I'm told you do not intend to drink and drive or consume any alcoholic beverages," O'Brien told Little. "If you fulfill your promise, you will have no problems."

Ladue police officer Gregory Stork alleged that Little flunked three field sobriety tests. But at trial, defense attorney Scott Rosenblum said Stork didn't follow proper procedures in administering the tests.

Little refused to take a breath analysis test at the Ladue police station.

In the 1998 traffic accident, Little ran a stoplight in downtown St. Louis and collided with a car driven by Susan Gutweiler, 47, of suburban St. Louis, who was killed.

A message were left Friday with Rosenblum and the St. Louis County Prosecutor's Office.