It took nearly eight months, but it finally has happened.
Prosecutors are poised to throw the book at Plaxico Burress.
Manhattan district attorney Robert Morgenthau says that his office wants Burress to spend significant prison time for carrying an unlicensed and loaded firearm in New York City on Thanksgiving weekend, 2008.
The evidence against Burress is fairly clear, given that the gun he allegedly kept in the waistband of his sweatpants blazed a trail through his thigh.
“We’ve always taken the position that he’s going to have to go to jail, whether by trial or by plea,” Morgenthau told the New York Post.
Morgenthau also disclosed that plea discussions broke down with prosecutors insisting on a two-year prison stay, and with Burress willing to do only one year behind bars.
That contention is perhaps the biggest surprise, given Giants radio and NFLN play-by-play announcer and Sirius NFL Radio host Bob Papa’s report from late May that Burress balked at a two-month term because he’s “deathly afraid” of going to jail.
Of course, it’s possible that Burress turned up his nose at a relative slap on the wrist earlier in the year, and that Morgenthau only recently has decided to push the case aggressively.
The D.A.’s new stance possibly results from public pressure that mounted after a three-month continuance of the case in June, which created the distinct impression that Burress would be able to play football this year before having to deal with the charges in early 2010. (The Commissioner has since thrown cold water on that possibility, with a suspension likely coming soon.)
In our view, lawyer Benjamin Brafman didn’t help matters by calling out Mayor Michael Bloomberg for publicly stating that people who carry guns illegally in New York are destined for the “slammer” while keeping quiet on the Bernie Madoff case.
So with any chance of a favorable plea deal gone, Brafman is preparing for a fight.
“Now that they have drawn a line in the sand, this is going to be a battle,” Brafman said, adding that he is “bitterly disappointed” that a plea deal has been rejected and that the case will proceed.
Burress might be more than bitterly disappointed before it’s all said and done. If he’s convicted, Burress will face a mandatory sentence of 3.5 years.
Cheddar-bob protect your corn hole man.
“If he’s convicted, Burress will face a mandatory sentence of 3.5 years.”
Right, like Stallworth faced a mandatory minimum sentence. In the alternate reality where a guilty plea does not = a conviction.
It’s about time.
Now Goodell should just wait until the case unfolds before doling out any suspensions. Let Burress twist in the wind for awhile since he and his lawyer(who is an idiot by the way) have been stalling for months. After Plastico gets hit with a 2 year stay at Rikers island, then Goodell can slap a years suspension on him AFTER his stay is over at the Ritz Carlton Rikers Island.
Article also states that Antonio Pierce is still on the hook for allegedly possesing his then teamates gun after the shooting, and could face a jail term of his own….
This is prob an open/shut case for the prosecutor. I would have jumped at a 2 yr term. That being said, the mandatory sentence is pretty harsh. Seems like 6 months should be plenty.
Like anybody really wants to go to jail? The law is pretty clear, time to quit dicking around and put this clown behind bars, where he belongs. He could have easily wounded someone other than himself.
The DA’s just blowing a bunch of hot air so “Plexico” (as everyone except Bob Costas calls him) will agree to plead to a misdemeanor and do his 48 hours in jail.
Goodell will then suspend him for four games, reduced to two on appeal. He’ll be free to sign and practice with a new team in the meantime and should be good to go by no later than Week 9.
The Plaxico Burress career may be over. I’m not
so sure from reading the statements by the D.A.
Morgenthau in the New York Post that Burress
ever had a realisitc chance of avoiding significant
jail time. The only chance that Plaxico has is to
hope and pray that the Commissioner does not
suspend him this season. It would seem that he
will face at least two years in jail according to the
D.A. Atty. Brafman should have shut up vs. one
of the most powerful Mayors in NYC history. It
is sad though that if Burress were an accountant
or a real estate agent etc…..he would not have to
face significant jail time. My contention is Mayor
Bloomberg wants an example to be made from a
a known celebrity like Plaxico and that is wrong.
If Plaxico can not play this season his career is over.
Did the “gun” blaze a trail through his thigh, or did a bullet from the gun blaze the trail?
He should seek advice from Marvin Harrison ASAP.
Whatever happened to “The right of the people to keep AND BEAR arms shall not be infringed”?
Does anybody really think that Mayor Bloomin’ Idiot, or any other scumbag politician, is stupid enough to believe that “gun control” reduces crime? Politicians advocate gun control to protect themselves from an angry populace, and for no other reason. New York City has some of the strictest gun control legislation on the books anywhere, and we all know how safe the Big Apple is… NOT!
Plaxico Burress has committed no crime here. He simply carried a weapon to protect himself. He was not, in any way, shape or form, intending to use the weapon to perpetrate violence against another person.
Furthermore, if Roger Goodell had any cojones, he’d stop sucking up to criminal government by suspending the Tank Johnsons, Marshawn Lynches and Plaxico Burresses for doing nothing more than exercising their God-given right of self-defense.
Stallworth used a 2ooo lb weapon to kill a guy and he gets 30 days while Burress is looking at 6 months ? Maybe Burress should have accidentally killed a guy, he would have gotten a shorter sentence.
bloomy isnt going to really punish this guy. sound and fury.
“Plaxico Burress has committed no crime here.”
Kook.
“Maybe Burress should have accidentally killed a guy, he would have gotten a shorter sentence.”
Accidents will always be viewed with more sympathy than an intentional act. Not that I think that Stallworth’s deal was an accident per se but I’m pretty sure that he didn’t want to kill anybody.
All of this tough talk won’t result in Burress spending any time in prison. The general public is star struck and won’t convict him because no one was hurt. How many celebrities do we need to see walk before we understand and stop pretending it’ll be different this time? Phil Specter is the only guy that comes to mind, but do I even have to explain why?
As long as it’s a jury trial, it’ll either end in a hung jury or he’ll be acquitted because most of those people on the jury will be football fans, which will only be the latest example that there’s really no equal justice in this country. Sometimes wealth determines the outcome of a trial, sometimes your notoriety, sometimes your race, but there’s too often a separate factor in determining punishment in this country. It’s the reason that notion that justice is blind is bullshit. You’ll interview the jurors afterward, and they will give whatever reason they want to give for letting him off. that’s life, that’s america.
On one hand you have New York’s ridiculous gun laws, which epitomize liberal legislative overkill.
Think about it–a 3.5 year MANDATORY sentence?!?
(While Stallworth only does 30 days?!?)
Add in a douchebag big-mouthed Mayor looking to exploit the situation for his own political benefit.
Then, on the other hand, you have the spoiled-ass celebrities who buy their own watered down version of “justice”…
Maybe between those two competing forces, Plax will end up with a punishment that actually fits the crime.
Something like 6 months sounds about right to me.
(Factoring in the ventilated quadricep, missed paychecks, public shame, etc.)
Oh, then we’ll have to hear what Supreme Prime Holy Absolute Honorable Infallible Royal Esteemed Chancellor Overlord Commander General Chief Executive Ayatollah President Iman Swami Emperor Czar King Commisssioner
Roger “God”-ell has to say.
All of this is speculation until we know for sure what Plax was offered by the DA. If he was given 2 months and didn’t take it he’s an idiot. If it was 2 years then his actions make a lot of sense. Given the situation Plax’s strategy is fixed. The DA should know that if it’s a sizeable amount of time (like 2 years) then Plax is going to take this to the mattresses. And they should be worried. They should be worried that this goes to trial and the jury throws it out despite the evidence. And they should be worried about their jobs. If I were a juror I’d throw the charges out. I can’t be the only one who thinks Bloomberg’s law is unfair. Multiply that by a few million eyes if Brafman gets a chance to demonstrate the state is acting in an unfair and racially biased manner. It’s a PR disaster. The purpose of using Plax to broadcast a tough on guns message to your constituents fails if the cost of that is doubt in your leadership. That is the balance that the DA is facing. The longer this goes on and the longer that Burress is out of work that balance shifts in the direction of a courtroom showdown. Which all goes back to my original point – Plax’s strategy should be clear to everyone including the DA. Any action by the DA to not offer Plax an acceptable plea in a timely manner equals a trial. If Plax misses this season, which looks likely, then it’s a trial. If the DA dawdles around for a few more months, then it’s a trial. And all of the sloth by the DA is failing to speed this along will be used to paint a picture of a biased prosecution. This case isn’t about facts. The facts are clear – Plax broke the law. This case is about emotion. And the DA is giving Brafman all the ingredients he’ll need to thoroughly tar Bloomberg and the DA as opportunists with no regard for one of their brightest black stars, but completely toothless when it comes to non-black crime as is evidenced by their failures to crack down on the financial nonsense that comes directly out of that town – that’s only one example, of course. So either the DA knows what it’s doing and this is all theatre and part of a plan, or they’re idiots trying to front without realizing the damage they are doing to themselves with all their posturing.
My personal feeling on this is that Bloomberg doesn’t care whether Plax gets off or not – this was all going to trial regardless. It’s exactly the large kind of stage you’d want when sending an authoritarian message. You don’t care whether you win or lose as long as the message gets out. So what if he gets a little bad PR – he’s loaded and he’s not going to be mayor forever. And he can always blame the DA. The question is whether the DA realizes what they’re into. Just my opinion however.
The only thing Buress has against him is his skin color.
He has money.
He has fame.
He won a super for NY.
But he will be labeled a thug and all tyoes of non-sense by the judge and DA and he will be made an example of.
The used to buy and sell slaves on wall street before stocks.
VoxVeritas: If you think using a firearm in the potential exercise of one’s right to self-defense is a crime, and that Plaxico Burress belongs in jail for doing so, and that I’m a kook for stating otherwise, then please let me know where you live so I can come and kill you and your family, rape your dog, eat your goldfish and burn your house to the ground. After all, I’m sure you’re a “law-abiding citizen” who would never “break the law” by defending yourself with a firearm, so the risk for me is negligible.
P.S. I’ll be armed, of course.
Lets not play the race card on this one. The only thing black and white about this is that celebrity or not HE broke the law!! Had it been a registered gun I could understand sympathy, anger, resentment. But we are talking about a grown man who knowingly carried an unregistered gun and got caught. If he is afraid of going to jail he should have thought of that before stocking the gun down the front of his pants. Not to mention. Gun down the front of his sweats, has this douchebag never watched tv before. they show this kind of stupidity all the time. But in the words of the honorable Forrest Gump “stupid is as stupid does”
Qball is a f’ing idiot.
The gun was unliscensed/unregistered. The supreme court has ruled in the DC case that local gunlaws can be enacted but not used primarily to restrict gun ownership/possession.
He’s just a typical entitled thug that guessed wrong and is now paying the price. Too bad it didn’t hit his femoral artery.
As for Stallworth, he could have beat the case. A friend of mine that was drunk and killed to people that ran a red light because his lawyer argued though intoxicated, it did not contribute to the accident. The accident would have occurred regardless because the victims were in the wrong for running a red light.
Kudos to him for taking responsibility.
haha his dumb ass rejected a 2 months plea and now hes gonna end up doin 2 yrs haha
but aint this world sum shit tho
vick got 2 yrs for killin dogs, plax will get prision time for shooting himself( haha) but donte stallworth gets 24 days for killin a man with kids and a wife while drink not only drunk over double the limit….
i dont even know what to think about all that
If you ask me it is a waste of tax payer money to send this guy to jail. Fine him and send it toward a good cause. He should have got a permit to carry the weapon…….you can’t blame him for having the weapon considering all of the robberies that have taken place with professional athletes lately. The only reason the prosecutor wants prison time is so he can become famous and get on TV.
QBall says: “we all know how safe the Big Apple is… NOT!”
Safest large city in America. Has been for about a decade now. Check the FBI’s crime statistics.
VonClausewitz says: “The question is whether the DA realizes what they’re into”
Robert Morris Morgenthau is eighty years old and has been an attorney for 61 years. He has been DA for 35 years and been re-elected nine times. Yeah, he knows what “he’s into”.
☻☼CBS, FOX, ESPN, NFLN nbc says:”The only thing Buress has against him is his skin color.”
Whites are in the minority in NYC and I don’t believe there has been an all white jury in NYC for decades. It is more than probable that the majority of the jurors will be people of color. And they are traditionally harder on gun crimes than whites since they are more directly affected by guns.
You fellas really should have SOME idea about what you are talking about before commenting. Watching Law & Order doesn’t count as being a New Yorker. You don’t like NY? Fine. Stop taking our tax dollars (the state gets $.81 cents in federal spending for each dollar we pay in taxes and NYC pays the majority of NY state’s share of federal taxes) and stay away. We won’t miss you. Promise. As for Plax, he made his own bed.
One thing I do want to state is that if a normal every day American were to be convicted of a Felony they would most likely be let go from their job. Shouldn’t the same standards for every day Americans be applied to proffessional athletes? I don’t know why we are paying convicted felons an absurd amount of money to play sports. As for this case I think you have to slap the guy on the wrist and let it go…………it isn’t deserving of jail time or a felony. He already shot himself…he needs no other punishment.
The only thing Buress has against him is his skin color.
What a ridiculous statement.
qball,i liked your signoff,
ps i’ll be armed,of course
my question to you is are you mentally stable?
penguininbondage says: July 27, 2009 1:58 PM
“Qball is a f’ing idiot.
The gun was unliscensed/unregistered. The supreme court has ruled in the DC case that local gunlaws can be enacted but not used primarily to restrict gun ownership/possession.”
Actually, penguininbondage (interesting nick… do you have any pictures of yourself? Or should I just start trolling BDSM sites?), you’re the f’ing idiot if you think your right to self-defense with a firearm is bestowed upon you by nine a**holes in black robes. But, considering your nick, I suppose submission is a hopelessly ingrained part of your mindset.
tom coughlin’s coat holder: I’m quite mentally stable, thank you; however, it appears that the concept of sarcasm is well over your head.
A strong guy like Him, should have think He would be able to defend Himself while out in public places, and did not need to carry a handgun, unless His is a wimp !
A rich guy like Him, should have hired a paid & concealed weapon lisenced bodyguard, to go along with Him in public places, if He feared He had enemies.
“P.S. I’ll be armed, of course.”
You’re an idiot for characterizing this as a guy just trying to defend himself. Hello dummy, he was not only carrying an illegal handgun, he carried it into a bar and discharged it. You’re too stupid to do anything but get carried away in a body bag if you step to me like you say in your fantasy scenario. I wouldn’t be breaking the law by shooting your ignorant punk bitch ass. That is, if you didn’t shoot yourself first, like that fool Plastico did.
VoxVeritas says: July 27, 2009 8:37 PM
“You’re an idiot for characterizing this as a guy just trying to defend himself.”
Was he carrying the weapon to initiate force against anyone else? No. So, by definition, he was carrying it for self-defense. Duh.
“Hello dummy, he was not only carrying an illegal handgun, he carried it into a bar and discharged it.”
Who defines what an “illegal handgun” is? The same dirtbag politicians who routinely draft legislation which blatantly infringes a person’s right to self defense? Spare me.
As for carrying it into a bar, does his right of self-defense end when he walks into a bar? Hardly.
On the issue of negligently discharging the weapon, that is the only thing of which Plaxico Burress is actually guilty. Putting it in his sweatpants (instead of a holster), not having the safety on and/or chambering a round are all grossly negligent acts. Fortunately, he only injured himself. He should be sentenced to attend a course on firearms safety, nothing more.
Finally, coming to your house, etc. is not a fantasy of mine. That’s called hyperbole and it was intended to highlight the stupidity of your criticism of Burress. Of course, your response that “you wouldn’t be breaking the law” by shooting me under those circumstances merely serves to underscore your hypocrisy: you can shoot someone initiating violence against you, but Plaxico Burress can’t, unless he does it in the manner prescribed by lowlife politicians.
Don’t you know that Steeler fans across the nation are thanking the Rooneys and Bill Cowher for letting Plax go his own way back in 2005?? That’s no accident since the Steelers have always been known for preparing their players to evolve as team members rather than your standard egocentric, high maintenance jerks like Plax.
What probably didn’t, but could have happened in 2005 when Plax’s Steeler contract expired was that Plax wanted to be the star receiver while Hines Ward was the veteran, selfless team leader.
It would not be a clear no-brainer for Steeler brass to say bye bye to a potential superstar that could have divided the team with a selfish attitude.
But Hines and his blue collar game was also up for a contract extension. Steeler fans loved him for his smash mouth blocking and fearless, hard hitting reception of most passes thrown to him. Once Ward helped the Steelers to their “one for the thumb” Super Bowl victory, everyone knew that Steeler nation would never miss Plax.
Too bad that he didn’t learn life lessons from his four years as a Steeler. Only the dumbest of all dumb asses thinks carrying an unlicensed and unregistered firearm in the city with the most stringent gun laws is cool. To carry the firearm in the waistband of your unbelted lounge pants into a NYC nightclub should be the height of all stupidity. But Plax outdid stupidity by shooting himself and then by trying to tell the prosecutors the sentence that he was willing to serve.
He belongs in jail to protect him from himself.
My God what part of “shall not be infringed” do you not understand.?Ever heard of the SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION?Bloomberg is a raving power hungry idiot.Mark my words one day the NRA and the rest of the US will shut him and his anti-gun idiots down.Look out Buttheadberg here comes Heller vs Washington DC