Former Giants star Plaxico Burress accepts surprise plea bargain

**MrWeed** · 08-20-2009, 12:31 PM

...and will spend two years behind bars

Ex-Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress took a surprise plea bargain Thursday that will land the talented but troubled wide receiver behind bars for two years.

The unexpected agreement with the Manhattan district attorney came nine months after Burress, 31, shot himself through the thigh with an illegal .40-caliber Glock in a crowded nightclub.

Read more: Former Giants star Plaxico Burress accepts surprise plea bargain, will spend two years in jail

Seems like too much time, even for NY

**aemoreira81** · 08-20-2009, 12:34 PM

If it occurred in 49 other states, he would not be spending years behind bars, only months. Had it gone to trial, he would have been looking at 3.5 to 15 years in prison.

He can get 1 day off for every week served time off for good behavior. I believe he has played his last NFL game.

**anthrox** · 08-20-2009, 12:46 PM

this is bullshit, Vick Got 2 years for killing dogs, i thought that was fair. Stallworth got 30 days for killing a human being, unfair. I don't understand how anyone can say 2 years for shooting yourself in the leg on accident is fair. Our justice system has officially failed...

**Spinnr1** · 08-20-2009, 12:54 PM

yeah The NFL's policies are all screwed up

**anthrox** · 08-20-2009, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Spinnr1

yeah The NFL's policies are all screwed up

This isn't an NFL policy, this is an issue with our justice system.

**MrWeed** · 08-20-2009, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by anthrox

this is bullshit, Vick Got 2 years for killing dogs, i thought that was fair. Stallworth got 30 days for killing a human being, unfair. I don't understand how anyone can say 2 years for shooting yourself in the leg on accident is fair. Our justice system has officially failed...

We are talking about three different agencies dealing with three different issues and their limitations on how they can prosecute those cases.

Vick - jailed for running an illegal business

Stallworth - Involuntary Manslaughter (basically DUI leading to accident leading to death)

Burress - Criminal Weapons Possesion in the state with the toughest gun laws in the nation. (though I think they should have let him plea down to only one year - there is mandatory jail time that comes with an actual trial and conviction - things that were certain to happen in this case.)

**sillyman** · 08-20-2009, 01:46 PM

Yep, wrong state to be in when the gun goes off. Lots of other places, there would be no crime at all.

**Pop Not Soda** · 08-20-2009, 01:48 PM

Maybe the Eagles will take him when he gets out.

**Spinnr1** · 08-20-2009, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by anthrox

This isn't an NFL policy, this is an issue with our justice system.

I was referring to the fact that vick is playing again and burress probably won't.. so I'm pretty fucking sure it's an nfl problem

**Spinnr1** · 08-20-2009, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by anthrox

this is bullshit, Vick Got 2 years for killing dogs, i thought that was fair. Stallworth got 30 days for killing a human being, unfair. I don't understand how anyone can say 2 years for shooting yourself in the leg on accident is fair. Our justice system has officially failed...

A good punishment woulda been to shoot him in his other leg

**anthrox** · 08-20-2009, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Spinnr1

I was referring to the fact that vick is playing again and burress probably won't.. so I'm pretty fucking sure it's an nfl problem

Thats due to Burress's age more then anything else. And as far as Vick goes, he served 2 years which was fair in my opinon, and since he did his time, he should be allowed to make a living and play in the NFL if a team wants him to. Bottom line is that the punishment for Burress doesn't fit the crime, he didn't kill someone or an animal, why should he do that much time, if any behind bars?

**sillyman** · 08-20-2009, 04:06 PM

Oh I got no problem with him doing the time, he broke the law and was actually fortunate that, when the gun went off, he was the only person hurt.

You might say the law is wrong and tougher than other states but my preference would be to equalize them by making the laws in other states tougher.

**golden** · 08-20-2009, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by anthrox

this is bullshit, Vick Got 2 years for killing dogs, i thought that was fair. Stallworth got 30 days for killing a human being, unfair. I don't understand how anyone can say 2 years for shooting yourself in the leg on accident is fair. Our justice system has officially failed...

Exactly what I thought when I heard about Burress today.

The big problem is individual states setting their own statutes & punishments for crimes. There should be one justice system for all.

**2spy** · 08-20-2009, 07:45 PM

There is probably more to this than we know, why was he reaching for it?...protect himself....shoot someone...threaten someone....who knows. In Texas you can apply for and get a license to carry a gun. I carry...I own a bar, but you cannot carry in a place of this sort. I can carry walking in my bar and leaving, only because of the money I am carrying. Other than that' it must be off my possession, in the office or whatever.

If a license person is caught with a weapon in this kink of place he goes to jail. Texas has one of the most relaxed laws on this.....just don't fuck up, or pay the piper.

**MrWeed** · 08-20-2009, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by golden

Exactly what I thought when I heard about Burress today.

The big problem is individual states setting their own statutes & punishments for crimes. There should be one justice system for all.

The thing with America is that it is still more of a salad than a stew.

...and people with like ideals and standards still try to congregate together while separating themselves from those they have less in common with.

I like state legislation as much as I can get it because, in theory, it provide s more choices for Americans as a whole

...if that makes any sense

**Strife** · 08-20-2009, 11:26 PM

Bottom line- he carried a gun into a night club.

He probably should have driven a car into it, instead.

**aemoreira81** · 08-20-2009, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by MrWeed

We are talking about three different agencies dealing with three different issues and their limitations on how they can prosecute those cases.

Vick - jailed for running an illegal business

Stallworth - Involuntary Manslaughter (basically DUI leading to accident leading to death)

Burress - Criminal Weapons Possesion in the state with the toughest gun laws in the nation. (though I think they should have let him plea down to only one year - there is mandatory jail time that comes with an actual trial and conviction - things that were certain to happen in this case.)

The prosecutor in this case, Robert Morgenthau, is retiring at year's end. This was probably his last chance to take a plea bargain of 2 years before it got pulled---and the next DA would have refused to do one. If he was convicted, he would have faced 3.5 years MINIMUM.

Also, out of state permits are not valid in New York State. Morgenthau (the Manhattan, NYC DA) wanted to send a message using a high-profile name; I half-expect Burress' prison mugshot to be used on advertisements all over the state reminding people of the law.

Plaxico Burress, if he begins his prison sentence on September 22 (his next court date), would likely be released around June 10, 2011. At 34, his NFL career would easily be done.

The relevant sentencing law in NY State is here. It looks as though he pleaded down a class; in New York State, illegal possession of a gun is a Class C felony.