Peterson plea deal would reduce charge to a misdemeanor

AP

Earlier today, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that talks are occurring regarding a possible plea bargain for Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.  That is true.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, a plea agreement (if reached) would reduce the pending felony child-abuse charges to a misdemeanor.

That would trigger less severe sanctions in the criminal justice system, and it also could result in a reduced punishment for Peterson by the NFL.

Peterson hasn’t played since Week One, missing eight games under a deal that allows him to be paid while the charges are pending.  It’s unknown how the NFL would treat the time missed by Peterson in assessing discipline under the personal conduct policy.

Peterson could potentially return to the Vikings this season.  Without him, Matt Asiata and rookie Jerrick McKinnon have developed into a pretty good one-two punch.

A hearing has been set for 2:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, at which time a deal could be presented to the judge.  Efforts to reach the lawyers handling the case have been unsuccessful.

60 responses to “Peterson plea deal would reduce charge to a misdemeanor

  1. The Redskins went all out to stop the run game today, daring the rookie to beat them through the air. Bridgewater was up to the task. It would be interesting to see Bridgewater, Peterson, and McKinnon playing together.

  2. Why would the NFL consider any time missed? He has been getting paid, and since the team put him on the shelf and DIDN’T suspend him.

    Then again what are they going to do anyway since it looks like he is going to plead guilty to some charge that is related to child abuse. The public will probably be wanting their pound of flesh.

  3. I wouldn’t think the NFL would suspend any further games, as he has been out 8 games.

    But he will probably face a HUGE fine, as in all 8 game checks or something like that.

  4. If he acknowledges what he did was wrong and gets help to not ever do that again then the deal is good. That type of punishment is abuse I my opinion but its hard to tell a person how to raise their own child. This deal should have taken place a month ago though IMO. Now he can move on with his life and heal his relationship with his kids and get back to his profession.

  5. “Why would the NFL consider any time missed?”

    Because the NFL and Vikings worked out a deal to help the NFL save face while all the scandals were going down.

  6. They should take the 8 games in to consideration for his punishment… so if they do that he shouldn’t miss any more game but should receive a fine for 6 (or 8) game checks. In the end it will be like he was suspended for 6 or 8 games without pay then.

  7. I think we can agree that the appropriate punishment would include sticks and leaves being crammed in Adrian’s mouth, and then Adrian being beat with a stick until his scotum bleeds.

  8. I speak as a fan of the team. And i see it as he is a great runningback (probably a HOF back at that), but the team has proven they have larger needs than runningback even without him in the game. Mckinnon has averaged about 5.2 yards a carry this year, and Asiata takes care of the goal line duties to punch it in from a short distance. I really don’t see the need to pay a aging runningback as much as they are paying him when there are more glaring needs. If he’s going to be this much of a problem I’d say cut him. Pay other guys at more needed positions and improve the overall roster rather than having 1 great player and have multiple goo players in those more needed spots.

  9. Great Caesar’s Ghost says:
    Nov 2, 2014 7:40 PM

    When this witch hunt is over Peterson and the Vikings will have a ring.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Maybe around the bathtub… because that’s the only way the Vikings are going to see a ring anytime soon.

  10. Hopefully the judge or prosecution is smart enough to REJECT any plea deal.

    My opinion is that if Peterson is asking for the deal, he FEARS what might happen if this actually goes to trial.

    The Vikings are doing just fine without him. Hopefully the NFL indefinitely suspends him no matter if he pleads guilty to a misdemeanor or a felony!!

    There shouldn’t be any team that allows an admitted child abuser play for them if he isn’t further suspended!

  11. i just don’t believe the nfl will let him play this year. they are finally in the clear from the rice scandal, and nobody is talking about it. reinstating peterson would reignite the fire. the nfl is going to make an example out of peterson.

  12. LOL at Viking fans. 8 weeks ago it was:

    “What a creep! Peterson sucks! I’m gonna burn my Peterson jersey, good riddance child-abuser!!!”

    Today it’s:

    “Well…if he receives some counseling, and apologizes like he really, really means it…”

    😀

  13. 52lightsxout52 says: Nov 2, 2014 8:32 PM

    LOL at Viking fans. 8 weeks ago it was:

    “What a creep! Peterson sucks! I’m gonna burn my Peterson jersey, good riddance child-abuser!!!”

    Today it’s:

    “Well…if he receives some counseling, and apologizes like he really, really means it…”
    😀

    ===========================

    Don’t say all Viking fans want him back cause it just isn’t true. I might be more outspoken than some, but I hope that the judge throws the book at Peterson, hits him square in the forehead and makes an example out of that piece of trash – poor excuse for a father!

  14. Adrian’s daddy was in the joint when he was starring at Oklahoma. Once he hit court he was gonna fight! Then a deal is imminent? This is classic American justice, overcharge the defendant, plead down to get the win at all costs. Yo’ Adrian! Get the hell out of Texas! With your cash you should be holed up in a safe haven like Costa Rica! Wake up before u get branded a felon!

  15. Only the Vikings would let a child abuser suit up, in fact, he fits right in with the other criminals on the squad.

    Karma will take care of the real justice in this case.

  16. A plea deal is a very standard thing. A lot if you guys clearly have no clue how the justice system works. He has no priors, and none of his other children have come forward with claims. It is standard practice in a case like this to reduce the charge and accept a deal. If that didn’t happen, and the prosecutors kept the charge on a felony level, that would only be because of his celebrity, and that’s no better than a celebrity getting off scot free. The punishment will probably be a pretty stiff probation, along with a fine , and tons of community service. That would be fair. He absolutely crossed the line from normal punishment, to abuse. I’m usually pretty leery of the government telling a person how to raise and discipline their children, but this is a clear cut case of abuse. The boys rear end looked like raw meat a week later, the leaves, that’s cruel but not abuse. As far as the NFL is concerned, I would be ok with a fine totaling the 8 missing game checks, I don’t think he will get another big contract after this but who knows.
    Justice needs to be perfectly blind and square, a celebrity shouldn’t get any special mercy, OR get the book thrown at them just because their famous. It happens both ways, and both ways are sickening.

  17. Sounds like everyone is starting to figure out they they’re not the justice system AND that their opinions don’t matter.

    You all got participation trophies, didn’t you?

  18. Only the Vikings would let a child abuser suit up, in fact, he fits right in with the other criminals on the squad.

    Karma will take care of the real justice in this case.
    ———————-

    Please fill me in on allllllll the other criminals please.

  19. What a sad commentary. They are going to let a man who beat a kid bloody with a stick walk free.

  20. Really? Talking playoffs? After barely squeaking by the Redskins…at home? Delusional…..this team isn’t close offensively.

  21. Man, people posting here act like Peterson killed or raped someone. Discipline is not child abuse!! Most baby boomers well tell you thats how we were disciplined. Les we forget athletes are human beings proned to the same frailties that you and I are!! But because they make millions of dollars playing sports there held to a higher standard. To air is human, To forgive divine. I hope his ordeal is behind him soon!

  22. …I mean…

    I applaud the few vikes fans that don’t want him to play again, but for the rest of you…you really are trash.

    You don’t care what he does to kids as long as he helps your team?

    Have fun in hell, scumbags.

  23. I don’t have any judgement on Peterson regarding the child abuse charges. All I know is that whenever I see him, all I see is a really dumb, stupid, ignorant human being.

  24. @mnvikingfan

    Ya, I suppose your right. I don’t want to make a blanket statement about all Viking fans, especially on a subject like this. Besides, Peterson’s best years are behind him, and you seem to have a good young running back in McKinnon anyways…

  25. I really don’t know about whether what Peterson did crossed the line.

    What I do no is that if he accepts a plea bargain, it doesn’t affect the facts of what actually happened. If the NFL (being a separate entity from the legal system) changes their punishment on account of the legal system, how does that make sense?

  26. @papavike:

    Well, this discipline WAS child abuse, or at least the State of Texas seems to think so. I doubt that MOST baby boomers were beaten like that, and I don’t care if they were….what was perhaps acceptable in the 50s isn’t anymore. I think we can all probably think of more than a few examples of that. Peterson is probably not a terrible guy, but he’s stupid as a box of rocks and horrifically irresponsible as a man. Certainly not the worst, but no one to be admired or respected, either. And I think it’s “to err is human” since “to air is human” makes no sense.

  27. tokyosandblaster says:
    Nov 2, 2014 10:17 PM

    Have fun in hell, scumbags.
    ———————————
    Hilarious.

  28. So I’m confused about what people want the punishment to be. When the NFL announced that the new standard punishment for domestic violence was a 6-game suspension, everyone cheered. Then they saw the Ray Rice video and the only satisfactory punishment was eternal banishment from the NFL. It isn’t realistic. NFL players have killed people and they kept playing. Michael Vick is still playing. Does Adrian Peterson really deserve a lifetime ban for what will be a misdemeanor? Personally, I’m ready to move on without him and start fresh, but I think the NFL’s punishment should be reasonable. He’s missed 8 games so far and that’s probably about right.

  29. I am really disappointed how Adrian has been treated. Not in general, but by Minnesotans. And what’s up with that stupid protest. I’m not sure if anyone realizes it, but we are currently on the brink of war in the middle east, and thousands turn out in protest over a friggin mascot. Mn fans are the weirdest I’ve ever seen

  30. C’mon let him play already! Every one just wants to see him out there! He never should have been benched in the first place. Its all the media’s fault on why he isnt playing right now. They should have let him play until he was actually charged with something cause he probably could have been playing all along and its starting to look that way. The Vikings record could be much better if he was playing since week 1.

  31. Considering the prosecution failed in their first attempt at a grand jury to indite him on charges and it took a second attempt shows it is a bit of a witch hunt to begin with. He spanked his kid excessively; not justifying it, but its not like he knocked the kid out in an elevator. At least Adrian is a present father and discipline is part of his responsibility. He has already seen a psychologic to where he learned proper discipline techniques. Having been pseudo suspended for 8 games, a misdemeanor anything is 2 games at most and the league has to take the 8 games into account.

    I can see 2 full games without pay and he’ll be asked to complete counseling. He’ll be back on the team by Thanksgiving weekend.

  32. I’d like to see Peterson play again (in Purple), I don’t plan on hiring him to babysit, but why can’t he play?

    Which team is it again that’s made up entirely of choir boys (I know it’s not the Cowboys)?

  33. Assuming the plea deal goes through, then follow the NFL guidelines. Suspended for 6 games without pay, able to return Week 17 if he wishes (and if the Vikings still want him).

  34. This whole damn chaos is because of the stupid Ray Rice things.
    I’d to ask all of you so called Vikings fan, all of you had called for Peterson’s head since the beginning you all have been a full. Because of your emotions you all let the stupid ass trolling and Vikings haters to control your feelings. Think about it for the past years,Peterson has been with the Vikings. He is the roll model and the leader never once showed disrespect to the fans or the coaches. He had over done and crossed the line on wiping the kid but treated him like a sick child abuser, murderer and a criminal!
    Please!!!!!!!!!!

  35. I am not a Vikings fan but i believe Adrian Peterson should be on the football field when his case is resolved. Let’s face it, he didn’t drive drunk & kill someone, he didn’t mame & kill a bunch of dogs, and he isn’t a big druggie. The man has done far more good for the league than harm. I met him at a benefit for poor kids one time, where each child received some gifts & such, and many, many more children showed up than what was expected. Long story short, Mr. Peterson sent his people with HIS money to buy gifts for the remaining children. Mr. Peterson did not leave this function until every child received a gift. (He was only scheduled to be there for 1 hour and spent 5 hrs.) I KNOW Mr. Peterson is a great person, who made a mistake.

  36. I think it’s an absolute joke that, Us perfect human beings can judge the intent of another human being it’s laughable!! THERE ARE NO MISTAKE FREE PEOPLE Judge your self, Not others!! Why don’t we all think about are worst thing we’ve done or been apart of and emagine it being broad cast word wide. And people that we’ve never met, and have no idea about the circumstances commenting on it!! But hay, were all perfect and have never made a mistake RIGHT!!!!

  37. Hey clueless in minnesota you state a father with what 7 kids with 5 different woman who does not attend his own child’s funeral a role model? What high standards you guys have. Now he is an admitted child abuser and loser fans are willing to look the other way. Not sure if Peterson or the fans lack the most morality.

  38. pappavike says:
    Nov 3, 2014 12:25 PM

    I think it’s an absolute joke that, Us perfect human beings can judge the intent of another human being it’s laughable!! THERE ARE NO MISTAKE FREE PEOPLE Judge your self, Not others!! Why don’t we all think about are worst thing we’ve done or been apart of and emagine it being broad cast word wide. And people that we’ve never met, and have no idea about the circumstances commenting on it!! But hay, were all perfect and have never made a mistake RIGHT!!!!

    I can tell you I have never committed a crime to warrant a trial or let alone being arrested. All the evidence with Peterson is out there with him admitting to the crime and pictures of the poor childs wounds so having no idea about the circumstances is about as delusional as your immature reasoning.

    Hay next time emagine your self using spell check, Us perfect human beings word wide would appreciate it.

  39. taintedsaints2009 says:
    Nov 2, 2014 8:19 PM
    i just don’t believe the nfl will let him play this year. they are finally in the clear from the rice scandal, and nobody is talking about it. reinstating peterson would reignite the fire. the nfl is going to make an example out of peterson.

    Rice has a grievance hearing in the near future.

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