Do You Forgive Leonard Little?

For the past 10 years, I've hated Leonard Little. I've questioned why he was allowed to continue playing in the NFL. I've seen him as another (unprintable adjective) athlete who committed horror and got away with it. Sure enough, if it were Roger Goodell's NFL in 1998, he probably wouldn't be playing. Now, quite honestly, I'm not sure what I think.

Little has finally addressed for the first time what happened then, when he killed a woman while driving drunk, and the aftermath he's dealt with personally at a school in St. Louis.

"A few weeks later, I tried to kill myself," ... "I had gone back home to my mom's house outside Knoxville (Tenn.), and the first thing I did was just go down in her basement. It had no windows, just a bathroom, a sink and a television. I stayed in the dark for days. All I did was cry. I couldn't deal with what I'd done."

Little intentionally drives past the spot of the accident on the way to Edward Jones Dome to remind himself, and refuses to celebrate his birthday because it's also the anniversary of the worst day of his life ("What's there to celebrate? It's an annual reminder of what I did"). He tells the children at the school, "I killed someone and I constantly think about the hurt I caused that family. ... I made a bad decision, and it cost someone her life and ruined her family's lives. You don't want that burden on you."

This touches on two matters.

In a completely trivial way, this is a statement on Goodell's renegade style of discipline, the specter of which looms larger and larger over the NFL every day. By all means a productive member of society since (though he was acquitted of driving while intoxicated years later), Little is proof that for every Koren Robinson, Chris Henry, or Pacman Jones, there's someone who is capable of reclaiming virtue and using a horrible decision as a way to benefit others. For Goodell, throwing out the baby with the bathwater isn't a concern, but maybe it should be.

Far more meaningfully, this is about the concept of forgiveness. Some believe that when man admits to genuine guilt he should therefore be forgiven and admonished of that guilt. Others aren't so quick to turn the other cheek. As for me? I'm in the middle. As I said, I've hated Little for 10 years. What he did was horrible, and a family is forever shattered because of it. On the other hand, I think it's a credit to Little that he refuses to forgive himself or seek forgiveness from others. The punishment he's endured extends far beyond his 90-day stint in jail, and it's all self-imposed.

However you all feel on this incredibly divisive topic is well-informed by emotion, belief, and in some cases, sadly, personal experience. But by finally speaking from the heart, Little has made one thing abundantly clear -- Susan Gutweiler's family aren't the only ones waking up everyday with the unshakable feelings of heartache and pain. Leonard Little is guilty. Leonard Little is constantly blanketed with guilt. What do you choose to do with that?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-02-2008 @ 1:53PM

charles said...

Redemption and Second Chance is a major tenant of the Christian Religion. Forgive him and more forward!

5-02-2008 @ 2:57PM

Marc said...

About these scumbags and their guilt... let their church and their God forgive them. Goodell and the NFL aren't about forgiveness, they're about making money.

Sure, they can go on with their lives and redeem themselves, but they don't have to do it in an NFL uniform making $2 million a year.

5-02-2008 @ 3:04PM

Nock said...

Its nice that he's talking to kids now, but I'm pretty sure he got another DUI AFTER the accident that killed the woman. So how much did he learn.

5-02-2008 @ 4:09PM

You are correct, Nock. From Wikipedia:

After a drunken birthday in 1998, Little crashed into and killed another motorist, Susan Gutweiler in St. Louis, MO. When tested, his blood alcohol level measured 0.19 percent, a level that exceeds the statutory level of intoxication of 0.08 in the state of Missouri. Little received 90 days in jail, four years probation and 1000 hours of community service.

Six years later, Little was again arrested for drunk driving and speeding. The probable cause statement filed by police said Little had bloodshot and watery eyes, smelled of alcohol and failed three sobriety tests. Because of Little's 1999 guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter in his drunken-driving crash case, prosecutors charged him as a persistent offender. This made it a felony case. Little was acquitted of driving while intoxicated, but was convicted only of the misdemeanor speeding charge.

5-02-2008 @ 5:27PM

murph207 said...

I am of the mind set to err is human to forgive divine.. Last time I checked I am no were near divine. So I don’t have to forgive this mans atrocities. I am also of the belief that if someone has paid his debt to society you should not be able to keep him for earning a living in any legal way he may choose. If he keeps torturing himself over what he has done GOOD, if that poor family or God chooses to forgive him that’s also fine. But if he can get a job strapping on a helmet so be it. People need to get over this, it’s a privilege to play professional sports stigma. If you’re not behind bars and someone wants to give you a job based on your abilities or talents no one should keep you from doing just that

Murph

12-12-2008 @ 12:05AM

cysko said...

i forgive leonard little.

5-03-2008 @ 12:03AM

crow2119 said...

Forgive? NO he took a womans life because he couldn't control himself or call himself a cab, he broke a family and took someone off this earth. But the fact that he seems remorseful and is explaining to people what he did and taking responsibility for his actions, then I have some respect for him. But the fact is he killed someone by deciding to drive drunk and then he did it again six years later, So No I don't forgive him but I don't hate him anymore.

5-04-2008 @ 7:58AM

Debra H said...

I read the story of Leonard Little talking to children and it touched my heart and I felt sympathy for him. I tried to put myself in the shoes of the family of the woman he killed and wondered if someone did that to my child could I forgive? Knowing this is eating at him daily and he is truly sorry and he is reaching out to children in hopes to keep them from making the bad choice he did, I could forgive. Then, reading this thread that he again was driving drunk it sickened me. If he wanted forgiveness and was truly remorseful he would never ever get behind the wheel again even having one single alcoholic beverage. So he is talking to children about what not to do, yet he done it again risking someones life. It doesn't matter to me what his occupation is as of course he has to work. What matters is when he is behind the wheel.

5-04-2008 @ 1:22PM

Kyle said...

There is no way i can forgive this man. I have a friend that lost his mother to a drunk driver and watching him grow up with out his mother and still to this day missing her, he can not forgive the man that killed her and that man is in prison, Leonard Little is making millions and still has a life. Has he ever helped that family? Dose he give his paycheck to them? I doubt it. If this happened under Goodell's watch, Little would have been out for good. Rea Caruth killed his girlfriend and went to jail but this man kills someone and keeps his life and career. So no i do not and will never forgive Leonard Little

5-04-2008 @ 3:52PM

robert montion said...

Forgiveness is much easier to accept when it is combined with restitution. LL makes millions a year to play football. Paying the family of Ms. Gutweiler beyond whatever insurance payments were made, half of his salary for as long as he plays would give the redemption far more meaning. Put your money where your mouth is LL and redemption will be far more significant.

5-05-2008 @ 11:43PM

George B Vieto said...

If Leonard repents yes he is forgiven. Leonard forgive yourself for your bad judgement call.

5-11-2008 @ 1:01PM

DENISE-BEACH said...

I FORGIVE LEONARD LITTLE! ARE YOU GUYS HUMAN? HAVE YOU NOT MADE MISTAKES IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU REGRET AND YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN FOR? BE HONEST HERE ARE YOU GUYS SITTING HERE 10 YEARS LATER, HOLDING ON TO HATE AND BITTERNESS. WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE AND WHERE DO YOU GO TO CHURCH. I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOUR PASTORS AND SEE THE BIBLES THAT YOU GUYS ARE READING. WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE? THE ONE OF US WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE. YOU GUYS SIT BACK AND YOU SAY ALL THESE THINGS ABOUT THIS MAN THAT YOU NO NOTHING ABOUT. HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW HE FEELS DAILY KNOWING THAT HE KILLED ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. YOU SIT HERE AND YOU GUYS ARE PLAYING GOD. YOU CAN'T SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE HOLDING ONTO HATE WHEN IT COMES TO LEONARD LITTLE. ALL OF YOU NEED TO PRAY AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. YOU ALL MUST KNOW THAT EVERYTHING YOU SAY GOES INTO THE UNIVERSE AND WE ALL WILL HAVE TO STAND BEFORE GOD AND BE JUDGE. IT IS WRITTEN THAT GOD IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END. NO ONE IS HIGHER THAN GOD AND IF GOD CAN FORGIVE THIS MAN WHY CAN'T ANY OF YOU.

5-11-2008 @ 1:03PM

HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER HERD OF THE WORD "FORGIVENESS"! WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE. ANY BELIEVER KNOW THAT YOU WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE. YES IT WAS WRONG TO GET BEHIND A WHEEL AND DRIVE WHILE DRUNK HOWEVER HOW MANY OF US HAVE DID THINGS THAT WE KNOW WERE WRONG. HOW MANY OF US HAS TAKEN THINGS THAT DID NOT BELONG TO US, LIE, STEAL, ETC... YOU KNOW ITS FUNNY HOW WE CAN'T SEE THAT THIS YOUNG MAN HAS BEEN THROUGH ALOT AND IS STILL GOING THROUGH IT. HOW MANY OF YOU THAT ARE POSTING THESE COMMENTS CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT YOU HAVE NEVER TAKEN A DRINK OR EVEN DROVE DRUNK. MANY OF YOU HAVE JUST NOT GOT CAUGHT BUT IT STILL DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT BECAUSE YOU MADE A MISTAKE. IT'S NO ONE ON EARTH THAT IS PERFECT. I DO BELIEVE IF WE HAD A OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT ALL OF YOU INCLUDING THE PERSON THAT WROTE THIS ARTICLE YOU ALL HAVE SKELTONS IN YOUR CLOSET. I SAID THAT TO SAY THIS, WHY PUNISH THIS MAN THE REST OF HIS LIFE FOR A MISTAKE THAT HE MADE AND HE CONFESS TO. WE ALL ARE SET ON THIS EARTH WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE WILL LEAVE HERE ONEDAY. WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW? I'M A STRONG BELIEVER THAT ALL THIS HAPPEN FOR A REASON AND IT'S NOT FOR ANY OF US TO JUDGE OR PASS BLAME. WE ARE NOT GOD. YOU MUST ALLOW GOD TO HANDLE THIS AND I DO BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS FORGIVEN LEONARD LITTLE OF THIS TRADGEDY AND PRAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SAKES THAT YOU DO THE SAME. WE ALL HAVE A HIGHER POWER TO ANSWER TO AND KNOW MATTER HOW MUCH WE HATE IT WE CAN NOT PLAY GOD. THIS HAPPEN OVER 10 YEARS AGO AND MOST OF YOU ARE STILL HOLDING ON TO ALOT OF HATERED AND BITTERNESS THAT YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO. IF YOU NOT A BELIEVER AND YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GOD GRACE AND MERCY THEN I WOULDN'T EXPECT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THIS MESSAGE OF FORGIVENESS HOWEVER IF YOU ARE BELIEVER ... I ONLY ASK MERCY ON YOUR SOUL. BE VERY MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU SAY OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS...EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAY GOES INTO THE UNIVERSE. NOW INSTEAD OF HATE, TRY LOVE AND SHOW FORGIVENESS. YOU WILL INDEED BE BLESS FOR IT. MAY GOD BLESS AND TOUCH EVERYONE THAT HAVE NOT REACH THAT PART IN LIFE THAT THEY CAN FORGIVE.

11-30-2008 @ 2:25PM

pas said...

I was in high school with Leonard Little. They took care of him there also. He brought a gun to school and they let him off. He didn't even show up for our state track meet when we needed him. It's always been about himself never the team.

5-20-2009 @ 12:48PM

Tommo said...

Leonard Little never did the time on this earth for his crime. He didn't just get in the car while intoxicated - He killed an innocent human being! I think I would be more forgiving if A) he actually went to prison for an extended sentence (the time DID NOT fit his crime), and B) it was his only drunk driving offense. But seriously, 90 days in jail for killing someone?!

Note to self - If I really want to kill someone, and I want to minimize the punishment, it's so simple! Get drunk, get behind the wheel of my car, and kill them on the highway! Involuntary manslaughter may be "accidental," but it is still murder, and he should have received an appropriate sentence for that. Add to that the fact that 6 years later, he was arrested again for drunk driving and was SOMEHOW able to deal his way out of a felony charge (despite failing 3 field sobriety tests). Go figure.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what I think. Whether he is truly remorseful or not, he will be properly judged in death.

5-20-2009 @ 12:54PM

On another note, compare this to Michael Vick's situation. How do we justify putting Vick in prison for 23 months (and questioning whether or not he should return to the NFL), while Little served 90 days in prison and was completely reinstated after his probation? So if my math is correct, killing a dog > killing a human? Yeah, that makes sense.