EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) St. Louis Rams defensive end James E. Harris has
been indicted on charges of being the ``money man'' behind a conspiracy to
distribute cocaine.

Harris, 29, was named in a suppressed indictment released Monday afternoon.
Officials said Harris appeared in federal court in Peoria, where he was
released on reported bond of $750,000 pending a hearing before a federal
judge on Aug. 8.

Harris, a 6foot6, 290pound reserve defensive end from East St. Louis, is
in his second year with the Rams. He played in all 16 games last season.

W. Charles Grace, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, said
the indictments against Harris and four other men came in the wake of an
undercover investigation. He called Harris the ``money man'' behind a drug
purchase and distribution ring. He said Harris was believed to have provided
the financing ``to buy a large amount of drugs for resale.''

The formal charge against Harris is ``aiding and abetting a conspiracy to
distribute and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack
cocaine.''

Harris is a fifthyear player out of Temple and a former starter with the
Minnesota Vikings. Harris was dropped by the Vikings at the end of the 1995
season after Harris was charged with spousal assault. He was fined $3,000
after entering a plea in that case.

Rams coach Dick Vermeil said he was surprised and disappointed by the news of
the drug indictment, but was unwilling at this point to write off Harris.

``My first thought would be that he's not guilty until he's proven guilty,''
Vermeil said Monday. ``It would be wrong and I would feel lousy if I said
`You can't play, you can't be a Ram,' and they acquit him of whatever the
charge may be.''

Vermeil said the NFL will also have something to say about Harris'
status.

``I'm a small portion of what goes on in his life from now on, most likely,''
Vermeil said.

Vermeil said he didn't know a lot about the accusations facing
Harris.

``I knew he had a problem,'' Vermeil said. ``And I knew that his lawyer was
going to come up this morning and take him to Peoria. Obviously he's got some
problems or they wouldn't take him to Peoria.

``We're here to do what we can to help him.''

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