Why did Sonny Liston have nearly 2 years out of the ring from early 1956-1958?

Robbing small stores? or pulling over women at night impersonating a cop for “reasons” ? On the run for mugging people for less than 5 cents again?

 

He had a confrontation with a St. Louis policeman who ended up with a broken leg. What has never been written, as far as I know, is how a convicted felon got less than one year for breaking a cop's leg. Was it because Sonny had influential friends?

 

Liston receiving a light sentence for his attack on a policeman was the biggest break he ever got. Had he been jailed five years instead of seven months, we would never have heard of Sonny Liston. We're always talking about him as a hard-luck victim, but we overlook how lucky he was at this crucial time.

 

This is why he became Public Enemy No. 1 to the St. Louis cops. He beat a patrolman, broke his leg and got a slap on the wrist for it.

 

Imagine being that cop, getting in to a tussle with a young Sonny Liston!!
Suppose he had quite a story to tell his grandkids..

 

Must say, this topic has piqued my interest. Extremely busy with college as I graduate next month but if I have the time, I’ll do an investigation into the matter by digging through the archives and filing FOIA requests.

 

Sonny was so popular with the Missouri corrections system they invited him for multiple extended stays at the state’s expense. Even fed him three times a day.