Plaxico Agrees To Two Year Jail Term

[jsarno]

I do wonder if he can file a petition to be allowed out to "work". We all know he doesn't need practice, so maybe he can petition to be allowed to play while he's still young. All he will be doing is working out in prison anyway.

[JLW428]

I'm glad that he got what was eventually coming to him. People with the mindset like that (I'm better than you, you can't touch me) deserve to be in prison.

[skindeep]

Can u imagine going in to prison with hardend felons and describe your crime.

I hope that prisons full of giants fans.

[firstdown]

He really got of lite because the manditory sentence is something like 3 1/2 years. If you think they made an example of him you would have to look at other cases where someone carried a gun into a bar and it went off by accident. I dont think the time fits the crime in this case but the law is the law. He was in the wrong place for that to happen and in just about any other state or city he probably would have had his gun permit taken away and maybe served 30 days or maybe just probation.

[53Fan]

I agree that the sentence seems a little harsh.. but... wasn't Plax aware of the law in New York? Even if he wasn't, ignorance is no excuse to a judge and it was my understanding that there is a mandatory sentence if found guilty. Is this incorrect?

[sportscurmudgeon]

53 Fan:

You are correct! If found guilty at trial there was a mandatory minimum sentence of 42 months in jail staring at him. (That is 3.5 years in case anyone's calculator isn't working.)

The charge was carrying an unregistered concealed handgun. No charges involving injuries or intentions or any of that feelgood stuff were on the table. What Burress would have had to show a jury beyond a reasonable doubt was that he was not carrying an unregistered handgun that night.

Go back and read the press reports and you will see why his lawyer said the case was almost indefensible. And so he "got off easy" with only a 2 year plea deal; if he had continued to pretend he was innocent - - meaning he never did carry an unregistered handgun in NYC - - he would probably have done 42 months in the slammer.

Comparing Burress' sentence to Stallworth's or Leonard Little's or Michael Vick's or even OJ's is comparing apples to oranges. They were charged with different crimes in different jurisdictions with different sentencing structures surrounding potential convictions.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I agree that the sentence seems a little harsh.. but... wasn't Plax aware of the law in New York? Even if he wasn't, ignorance is no excuse to a judge and it was my understanding that there is a mandatory sentence if found guilty. Is this incorrect?

Yes, you are correct...but how come there isn't a "mandatory sentence" for killing someone will intoxicated? Maybe there was and it was ignored...not sure...but I find it odd there is such a law to avoid guns, but not if you kill someone.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I agree that the sentence seems a little harsh.. but... wasn't Plax aware of the law in New York? Even if he wasn't, ignorance is no excuse to a judge and it was my understanding that there is a mandatory sentence if found guilty. Is this incorrect?

Good point, and it speaks to a question that I've always had about the case: why didn't Burress register the gun? If he wants heat for protection, then fine, register the gun and make it legal. It's not like he couldn't afford a gun license.

It also seems to me that if he wanted protection, a bodyguard would have been a better choice than packing heat.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Good point, and it speaks to a question that I've always had about the case: why didn't Burress register the gun? If he wants heat for protection, then fine, register the gun and make it legal. It's not like he couldn't afford a gun license.

It also seems to me that if he wanted protection, a bodyguard would have been a better choice than packing heat.

It all boils down to what kind of person he is. Obviously he should have registered the gun. Obviously it's smarter to hire security than go in strapped by yourself. Also, it's obvious he should care about his teammates and coaches, showing up on time, practicing, etc etc. Otherwise he wouldn't have been fined dozens of times.

He did none of the above. He's a selfish, arrogant jerk.

As someone pointed out earlier, there's a reason the Steelers let him walk and didn't bat an eye (or miss a beat for that matter).

[53Fan]

Sidenote: The Colts lead the Iggles 23-7 with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter.

[53Fan]

Well there are varying conditions to killing someone while intoxicated. Did being intoxicated directly lead to the persons death? I'm sure Stallworth got a DUI but did his being intoxicated lead to that mans death? There is no doubt whatsoever that Plax broke the law. None. I think your biggest gripe is that for the laws Plax broke, the punishment is too severe in New York. That may be, but that's the way the people of New York want it. If you steal in Iran you may get your hand cut off. Severe? Yes. But that's the law so it's probably not a good idea to steal there.

[SBXVII]

I guess people are failing to realize Vicks punishment was too harsh in and of itself. MV would never have gotten the punishment he got had he complied with the local police. He most likely would have gotten a fine of $500 and some community service (the same punishment people get everyday in VA courts for these same charges). The fact that he failed to help local police and the Feds stepped in he faced Federal laws and Federal punishment.

I can understand PETA being upset at the laws and miniscule punishments however comparing MV's punishment with other people who have done the same thing ....he has paid the price 3 fold. PETA should be content and ignore him and move on.

As far as Stallworth situation, with people everyday trying to beat the yellow light before it turns red it's hard to say the victim never would have been killed by a sober driver. I guess if he stumbles on to the metro tracks we should put the driver of the train behind bars for a few yrs cause he took a life.

OJ was guilty. A lot of evidence was not allowed during trial that would have put him away. After the fact the jurrer's have said had they had the info the general public had they would have found him guilty.

Buress is just an idiot. He got the minimum sentence for the crime "he" committed. It's hard to compare punishments from different states with similar charges let alone different charges. Had he done this in VA he would have been facing more charges. Carrying a concealed weapon with out a license, carrying a weapon into a bar, most likely the bar was in a non shooting zone, wreckless handling of a fire arm. I'll admit he only hurt himself...no big deal. Had someone been breaking into his house and he ran to get the gun and this happened ....no big deal. Out side the home where people with guns put others at risk, especially when not secured properly (obviously not handling it correctly whether drunk or not causing his injury) is an issue. He had it in his waist band.

[over the mountain]

in MD there is a 5yer mandatory minimum if you use a handgun in the commision of a violent crime (robbery, assault, kidnapping, etc).

if you use a gun, your going down. if you carry a gun on you in public in NY, your going down. imo this man. min. in NY probaly helped clear alot of gun packing gang bangers who now know not to carry heat all the time.

like jack said in the departed, they dont carry automatic weapons b/c theres a mandatory life sentence. these rules work.

go skins!!

[KLHJ2]

If you believe in a higher being why would he waste all of that talent on someone who wasn't going to use it?

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by Angry

If you believe in a higher being why would he waste all of that talent on someone who wasn't going to use it?

It's a persons choice what they do with their talent. He's the one wasting it. If I pay for your education and you decide to become a beach bum, don't blame me.