LANDOVER, Md.
Plaxico Burress' lawyer said Sunday he was advised that the former Michigan State and current New York Giants receiver will be charged with criminal possession of a weapon after accidentally shooting himself in the right thigh.
Lawyer Benjamin Brafman wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that Burress will turn himself in Monday morning in New York City and "will enter a plea of not guilty later that same day."
"I do not expect that Mr. Burress will make a statement," Brafman wrote.
He met with Burress for about an hour Sunday at the player's home in New Jersey.
"I would ask that his fans, the Giants and the media withhold judgment in this matter until all of the facts have been disclosed," Brafman wrote to the AP.
Burress shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub Friday night and was released from a hospital early Saturday, the Giants said. He already had been ruled out of the Super Bowl champions' game Sunday at the Washington Redskins because of an unrelated leg injury.
New York police and NFL security are investigating what happened Friday. Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was interviewed by NFL security, general manager Jerry Reese said before Sunday's game.
Pierce reportedly was present for the latest dramatic turn in a tumultuous season of fines and suspension for Burress.
Neither Reese nor Giants president and CEO John Mara would say what Burress' status with the team might be going forward.
"I want to wait until we find out all the facts and circumstances before we make any determination," Mara said. "I don't know what happened there, and until we find out exactly what happened, I'm not going to make any comment or make any decision about what his future is."
Pierce, meanwhile, started Sunday's game. He was questioned by league personnel at the Giants' team hotel Saturday, Reese said, although the GM wasn't sure whether Pierce talked to police.
Reese and Mara said they hadn't spoken to Burress, who hurt his hamstring two weeks ago and was going to miss the game against the Redskins because of that injury.
"I reached out to him," Reese said. "I did not get a return phone call."
Mara repeatedly said the Giants would cooperate with the police and the NFL in their investigations.
Asked if he knows what the scope of those inquiries are, Mara said: "I do not know, no. I guess the circumstances of how he got shot, whose gun it was. There are a lot of questions like that that are still unanswered."
Burress caught the go-ahead touchdown pass in the Giants' Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots in February, following a regular season in which he scored a career-high 12 TDs. He was rewarded with a $35 million, five-year contract, only hours before the current season.
But his consecutive-games streak with at least one catch ended at 115 last week against Arizona, after he aggravated his hamstring injury during the first series and did not return.
Burress has 35 catches for 454 yards and four touchdowns while constantly drawing double coverage this season.
Off the field, he was suspended for a game against Seattle in October and fined $117,500 for missing a team meeting and failing to notify the Giants of his absence. He said he had a family emergency.
Burress also was fined $45,000 by the NFL for his conduct during a game against San Francisco in which he abused an official and tossed a ball into the stands.
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Hometown Hero
Didn't VA Beach hold a parade for him and present him with the Key to the City? Great choice. Thank you city leaders.
are we really supposed to believe
that Cadilac Harris got a call at 4:30 AM
uh huh
"Unfortunately, gun laws in Virginia are not horrendous."
So move to NY, libs will appreciate the company. Because nobody here really, honestly, cares about the opinion.
unfortunately, indeed, Gertz
Unfortunately, people let emotion over ride facts when it comes to firearms.
Fact: The cities with the strictest gun laws have the highest rates of gun violence. (Apparently having strict gun laws don't curtail gun violence)
Fact: Arizona has both the most liberal gun laws and the among the lowest rates of gun violence. (Apparently letting people exercise their 2nd Amendment rights doesn't lead to gun violence)
Fact: Burress was (allegedly) breaking a gun law that was already on the books. (Apparently strict laws didn't stop him from having a gun)
Please explain how more gun laws help, and kindly refrain from calling people who choose to cary guns idiots, as you did in an earlier post.
Red thirty! Hut!
"Excuse me ladies while I just go hang myself."
------Bobby Boucher-----
unfortunately
"but handgun laws in NYC are horrendous."
Unfortunately, gun laws in Virginia are not horrendous.
Sheesh people
Unless this dude has both a NYC and NY state issued CCP (or whatever they call it there now) he's toast. Gun laws in general, but handgun laws in NYC are horrendous.
But all of you anti-gunners would be amazed at just how many people are carrying in the nightclubs there --- and the vast majority are NOT legal, nor are they being carried legally.
I can go into ay number of bars/clubs in NYC, primarily in Brooklyn and tell exactly who is carrying legally and who isn't. And I haven't lived in Brookdly for more than 25 years.
NFL Security
What jurisdiction does the NFL security have over this matter. Plaxico was on his own time, spending his own money and in public place. The NFL does not own the players, it is just a form of over paid grown men playing a sport. Let the NYPD handle this matter. I do feel sorry a little bit for Plaxico.
Our sports stars & heroes
I'm sick, sick, sick of most American sports stars & heroes - sick of their rape charges, murder charges, assault charges, dope charges, firearms charges; sick of their tattoos, their fur coats, their celebrity lawyers cutting deals. They are slime & social cancers to any civilization. (Someone is getting rich off of them - sort of like hustling sub-prime loans.) Because a person can run fast and jump high doesn't make them, well, good. And "good" is what must be required. Character counts, dudes, big time.
Sad...
You can take the boy out of the hood, but apparently you can't take the hood out of the boy... sad... such a wasted oportunity
Plax
no wonder no one in Pittsburgh shed a tear when LAXico left.
35 million down the drain.
35 million down the drain. He deserves everything that will come his way. He knew better and could afford all the body guards he needed.
re:wow
"New York has strict gun laws. Any person convicted of carrying an illegal loaded handgun in New York faces a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years in prison"
Makes no sense he or anyone would carry a gun to a nightclub legal or not. Only an idiot would do such a thing, and pro sports seems to have more than it's share.
Another Role Model
Plax can be used as a good role model…now you can show your kids what an overpaid idiot looks and acts like! Making a lot of money doesn’t always equate to brain power. Now I see why the Romans kept the area athletes under lock and key… and only let them loose in the area on game day. Look at the bright side Plax is one up on Vick, Vick was shooting dogs and Plax shot himself.
Again with the stupid actions of a sports person
What an idiot for having a gun in a nightclub anyway. Even with a CCW license, it is illegal to have a weapon in an establishment that serves alcohol. I wonder if he will be charged for that.
PLAX NEEDS CADILLAC
This has been a long coming Cadillac Harris needs to put 'MR.EVERYTHING" in check,maybe he forget where he was going we already know where he has been,but somone needs to remind him of this.He makes too much money to be acting like he is all this and that.Do you really want to be misunderstood?
Overpaid?
I keep seeing this "overpaid" thing come up. Let us all keep in mind that every one of the NFL teams have an owner, and every single one of them are profitable. This means that for every dollar the owner pays the athlete, they are making more off his back. The fact is, these athletes bring in millions for the teams, and deserve millions in salary.
Outrageous!
I call upon the Virginia Citizens Defense League to strap on their firearms and descend on the next NYC Council Meeting to protest Virginia's native son Burress being deprived of his freedom to carry a concealed weapon and shoot himself in the foot if he wants to (unless they're all out in St. Johns, Arizona sticking up for the gun rights of the 8 year old shooter).
Idiot.
Idiot.
NFL
What do you think they call it the Neanderthal Football League?..Definitely not a bunch of rocket scientists, just guys who barely squeaked through school. Definitely overpaid and contributing to our current recession.
THE NFL
I'm waiting for the press conference where he'll blame the NYPD, get a popular law firm, sue NYC and try for a book or movie deal.
This guy has too much talent to fall into the "play book" of Vick and a few of the other overpriced NFL babies out there. He's from the area; somebody rescue him from himself!
Time to go.
See ya Plax! Giants fans and Coach Coughlin have had enough of your overpaid immature attitude.
Who cares
He and any other athlete is not worth the money they're being paid.
Sad comment...
What a sad comment on the state of affairs in this society when you go to the public library and there's a sign at the door that advises no handguns within... as for this, in particular, it's just a reflection of that whole gangster mindset. This clown should get down on his knees and thank his maker that he shot himself rather than some innocent bystander. I'm reminded of what the wicked witch said to Dorothy as she was melting from the water Dorothy had thrown in an attempt to help, "What a world, what a world !!! "
Burress or MORON
What a MORON...and isnt illegal to carry a gun to an establishment that serves alcohol? Just makes me shake my head and laugh at how he wont get any retribution from the NFL, just like Adam "just one more time" Jones....MORONS~~!!!!
Just another loser...
It's nice to see a hometown kid make it to the big time. Turns out he's just another moron who thinks the law doesn't apply to him, like Vick. I agree with the others...the NFL needs to take a "zero tolerance" stance on players who can't stay out of trouble. The NFL has a moral responsibility when creating role models for our youth. I'm not rich enough to be able to attend games, but I can boycott the sponsors now!
NFL is becoming a joke
Almost every week you hear about some "jerk" in the NFL doing some stupid stuff. Kids buy shirts with these peoples names on them. What is the NFL saying to our kids if they don't ban these idiots for life. The kids growing up see this, and say, "IF he can do it, so can I!" The NFL needs to realize how powerful they are, and take actions to change this, but they are after the almighty dollar. Well, the dollar isn't worth much these days, and I don't plan to spend my money going to a football game or buying merchandise. If they were working a regular job, they would be fired, and they wouln't be able to get another job.
Gun!
It goes without saying it is a matter of time before he concludes his NFL career in disgrace, What a waste. As a Redsking fan though it does not bother me that he will not be playing tommorow. When will the NFL make responsiblity more important than money. Dumb, dumb, dumb! The real questions would be 1) Why was he in possession of a gun in a public place? 2) Was he licensed to do so? For those of you not familiar with firearms their are no "accidental discharges" only negligent discharges.
Idiot
These overpaid NFL players should be contractually required to stay out of criminal trouble or forfeit their entire salary and bonus. If it turns out that he was carrying this gun illegally, fire him and ban him from the NFL for life. It is time to send a message to these idiots. I myself will not attend an NFL game until the league starts taking action. A good boycott of games and sponsors might add some incentive for these teams to start kicking some ass.
Cell mate perhaps?
Hey, maybe he can be a cell mate with Vick. They are are all nasty non-law abiding "citizens" that deserve each other. Boycott football; stop paying these pigs.