Burress gets raw deal
It’s ridiculous that former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress got two years in jail for shooting himself in the thigh in a New York nightclub with a gun that wasn’t registered in that state.
As a comparison, consider that Rams defensive end Leonard Little got 90 days in a workhouse for killing Susan Gutweiler, a mother of two, while driving drunk in 1998. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and also received an eight-game suspension from the league.
Burress, whose only victim was himself, will miss at least the 2009 season, and he’ll be 33 before he plays in another NFL game, even if he gets out early, which could be in 20 months. And that’s if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn’t tack on a suspension on top of Burress’ jail time.
Little, on the other hand, is in his 12th season in the NFL. Oh by the way, he was arrested again for drunk driving in 2004, but he was acquitted on a technicality.
And then there’s former Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth, who got 30 days for killing 59-year-old construction worker Mario Reyes while driving drunk. 30 days, of which he needed to serve only 24, after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter.
I don’t like Burress. He’s a bad guy, a distraction and a source of irritation to teammates who follow the rules and act like adults. But in his case, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
Burress is basically going to jail for three reasons:
1) stupidity
2) there is a tough mandatory sentence for him shooting himself in New York
3) the bullet didn't hit anyone else
Reason three is where he is lucky. If the bullet would have gone through his leg and/or hit someone else he'd be going to jail for a decade or more. All in all I really can't be too concerned with him. He thought carrying a gun was a wise thing to do and now he pays the price. All of the other cases mentioned where criminals got off with a slap on the wrist are a subject for another story and have nothing to do with Burress.
First of all, going clubbing has nothing to do with where he should pr should not have been considering he has a family. A trite comment
This law was made as a result of the Pdiddy shooting a few years ago on NYE, which is a completely different scenario than a victimless accidental shooting. All burress did was receive a threat after a few other sports stars had been robbed themsleves. Poor decision to carry the gun in the club but this really a witch hunt and the DA trying to make a name for himself just like the HS football coach that just went on trial for manslaughter/murder of one of his players who collapsed at practice. As for mandatotry sentencing.... it is used when convenient. Plea's can be reached and they were offered in this case that were a shell of this sentence. Once the case got more notoriety the D put the petal to the to the metal. Goes to show we are all just pawns for those who hold and pull the strings. Maybe Obama can stick his nose where it doesnt belong as usual and get this guy some leniency?
What's the point in comparing sentences? Burress's sentence was a mandatory sentence, and thus the judge had no flexibility. The other sentences weren't mandated by law. In any case, what relevance do the other cases have to Burress's? The only reason anyone ever compares them is they're all football players, but setting that aside, they have nothing to do with one another, so comparing sentences is folly.
Bob - The lawmakers in New York city decided carrying a non-registered gun was a felony with a mandatory prison sentence. Burress received exactly what he deserved. Not that I agree with the law, but it is what it is. Usually people complain about how the famous get off with a slap on the wrist, but now you are complaining that a person had to actually serve the same sentence as any average person would have to serve.
The subject of the story should be the lack of mandatory prison time for the other incidents you featured.
...the "justice" system is a mess. I do not like Buress either. His weepy scene in court with family made me wonder why he was clubbing instead of being home with them. But guys kill people and "buy off" the family while he does 2 years for attacking his thigh. Crazy.