Posted on 09/22/2009 8:26:59 AM PDT by iowamark
Former Super Bowl star Plaxico Burress was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison for possessing a gun at a night club.
The former New York Giants star tearfully told his family goodbye as he surrendered to begin his prison stint for attempted criminal possession of a weapon after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh.
Burress was indicted on two counts of weapon possession and one count of reckless endangerment and pleaded guilty Aug. 20. He had faced a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years on those charges if convicted at trial. He pleaded to the lesser charge and agreed to the two-year term.
With time off for good behavior, Burress likely will serve 20 months. He will be monitored an additional two years after he is freed from prison, which could come as early as the spring of 2011.
The Giants released Burress in April, but the 32-year-old told ESPN he hopes to resume his NFL career when he completes his sentence.
Burress, who caught the winning touchdown for the Giants over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in the final minute of the 2008 Super Bowl, and former teammate Antonio Pierce were at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan last November when a gun tucked into Burress' waistband slipped down his leg and fired, wounding him.
The gun was not licensed in New York or in New Jersey, where Burress lived. His license to carry a concealed weapon in the Florida had expired in May 2008.
Pierce, who drove Burress to a hospital after the shooting, was not indicted.
Defense lawyer Benjamin Brafman has said Burress was thinking of his family in taking the plea, but the attorney questioned the recommended prison sentence.
"This was not an intentional criminal act," Brafman said the day of the plea. "In my judgment, a two-year prison sentence is a very severe punishment."
Gil Brandt, an analyst on NFL Sirius Radio and the former head of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, said Burress won't be too old for a comeback when he's released from prison.
"First of all, Plaxico is a guy who keeps himself in pretty good shape," Brandt said. "Lots of times guys get heavy in the off-season. He is not a guy who has done that."
But Brandt intimated it could be difficult for Burress to reacquire his football skills after so much time on the sidelines.
"It's like a person who has gone to college or high school and drops out of school for two years," he said. "It is hard to reacquire your study habits. I think it is hard to reacquire the work habits you need to be successful when you have been away from the game for two years or so."
“you wanna be the wife or the husband?” “The husband!”
“Fine then get over hear and suck you wife’s DXXX!”
Frankly, I think it’s horrid. Wonder what NYC would have done if, say, John Lennon had been armed to protect himself. These celebrities, whether we like them or not, are always at risk from someone seeking fame and notoriety.
Ruining his career and two years in the slammer? Just terrible.
Meanwhile, NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth just killed someone in a drunken driving accident and got 30 days in jail. Defensive end Leonard Little got 90 days for doing the same and running back Jamaal Lewis got four months for dealing drugs.
And what do all three have in common?
So, instead of him making millions and paying taxes, the taxpayers of New York will get to support him at $30k+ per year. Brilliant.
Governor David Paterson has the ability to commute the sentence of Plaxico Burress.
http://161.11.121.121/govemail
NYC has issued over 1000 non-resident pistol permits since 1998.
Ridiculous. Absurd. Un-American.
hahaha
I love you man.
One of my rules-of-thumb on laws is: “you can’t outlaw STUPI
D, or you’d have to throw all the liberals in jail.” I put seat belt laws and motorcycle helmet laws in the same bucket— it might be the right thing to do, but STUPID should not be illegal...
hh
There's no tight ends in prison, just wide ends.
Hard core convicted felons will at the most get six months for this, everyone knows that they made an example of him.
I understand Michael Vick commented on the sentance given to Plexico....
He asked a reporter, “so how long is two years in DOG years?”
complete and utter sarcasm
Then what happened to Plaxico should be a lesson to African-Americans everywhere. So long as they stay poor, ignorant and oppressed while dependent on the liberal democrat plantation, their criminal conduct will be excused. But if they become successful, any transgression brings down the full weight of the law to return them to what the liberals deem their proper place in life.
Can we have a bromace now?
You had me at stuned beeber.
*sniffle*
You had me at stuned beeber.
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