September 22, 2009

Plaxico Burress Begins Two-Year Prison Sentence: Former Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress tearfully told his family goodbye as he was led away to prison Tuesday after being sentenced to two years on a weapons charge.

posted by texpat to football at 02:13 PM - 19 comments

The man paid a heavy price for his crimes, and hopefully it will serve as a wake up call to others...though I'm not holding my breath.

It appears that he was more of a danger to himself than to others, but what a fool he was. If he does get out after 20 months, that would be just in time for spring training for the 2011 season, who knows, maybe some team will take a shot at him...opps, I mean a shot on him...no, make that a chance on him.

posted by dviking at 06:02 PM on September 22, 2009

it sure sucks when you shoot yourself in the proverbial foot..then have to do time... it isn't like he shot someone else...I wonder if a politician would do time for the same offense????

posted by wildbill1 at 06:03 PM on September 22, 2009

Sure hope that night of clubbing was worth it.

posted by irunfromclones at 06:40 PM on September 22, 2009

Some people joke that "being stupid should be a crime." I can't help but think that this is what this case is all about: Burress got two years in Rikers for being stupid.

it isn't like he shot someone else
It's not like Burress shot himself on purpose. He is extremely lucky that he didn't accidentally shoot someone else.

posted by NoMich at 06:46 PM on September 22, 2009

As I recall he very narrowly missed someone else. 20 months seems steep for stupidity, but an involuntary/ criminally negligent manslaughter conviction could have been a whole lot worse.

Why was he carrying a loaded gun in his waist band to begin with? To fend off the ladies at the club?

posted by MW12 at 07:19 PM on September 22, 2009

OJ shot his wife and got nothing. Burress shot himself and got 2 years. What's wrong with this picture?

posted by Doehead at 07:44 PM on September 22, 2009

Your memory of early '90s history.

posted by NoMich at 08:00 PM on September 22, 2009

t's a hard, inflexible law with minimum sentencing. That's the only reason he gets this ridiculous amount of time. It doesn't fit the crime. The only good here I see is if it reminds some big time pro-athlete not to strap when heading out to the club. So, it will perhaps cut down on pro-athlete gun fights in public. Which is a daily peril for your kids, I'm sure.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:09 PM on September 22, 2009

OJ shot his wife and got nothing. Burress shot himself and got 2 years. What's wrong with this picture?

Really?

Of all the news coverage of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman's murders, I never once heard/saw/read that either of them were shot.

posted by tommybiden at 08:34 PM on September 22, 2009

Facts: Man brings illegal handgun to a nightclub. Man doesn't have safety on said handgun, nor is it holstered or otherwise secured. Man shoots someone with said handgun.

Sure the person the dumbass shot was himself. Poetic justice. Doesn't change the facts.

20 months is a steep penalty? I don't agree.

Anytime a person takes a loaded gun out in public, the message he is sending is he is prepared to use deadly force. And when he fires said gun - accidentally or on purpose - he should be prepared to accept the consequences of his actions.

Fortunately for him, Plaxico had the good sense (or paid people with the good sense) to do just that. Otherwise he would have received a longer sentence, which would have been equally well deserved.

posted by MW12 at 09:13 PM on September 22, 2009

Anytime a person takes a loaded gun out in public, the message he is sending is he is prepared to use deadly force.

I think that depends on where you are from and where you take the gun. That statement doesn't apply very well here in Montana.

posted by BoKnows at 10:30 PM on September 22, 2009

so far everyone has not responded to my question...if a politician committed this act would he be dong "hard time?",,,,

posted by wildbill1 at 12:08 AM on September 23, 2009

so far everyone has not responded to my question...if a politician committed this act would he be dong "hard time?",,,,

There is so much wrong with this sentence.

posted by HATER 187 at 01:00 AM on September 23, 2009

Allow me to be the second by saying maybe. Only 6,999,999,998 to go then.

posted by tahoemoj at 01:11 AM on September 23, 2009

He said 'dong' and 'hard'.

Huhuhuhuhuh.

posted by owlhouse at 02:59 AM on September 23, 2009

i'm not sore if i "agree?" ,,,,

posted by Hugh Janus at 09:42 AM on September 23, 2009

That statement doesn't apply very well here in Montana.

It most definitely doesn't apply in Virginia, where Burress grew up, nor in Florida where he lived. I am pretty surprised by how much views towards guns vary by region.

posted by bperk at 10:05 AM on September 23, 2009

If is dong is hard at the time, no matter how huge your anus, you're still going to be sore if you agree.

posted by JJ at 10:28 AM on September 23, 2009

And we digress..............

Hey, the law is the law. Teams in NY have cops who come in during camp and say these are the laws. They follow that with, "if your gun is not registered here, license to carry from here, lets fix it now. I guess Plax was probably late for that meeting too. Some laws seem like an overkill sometimes, this being maybe one of them, but at what point does a person have to be held accountable. DONG(hehe.)

posted by Debo270 at 10:43 AM on September 23, 2009

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