Should Plaxico Burress go to jail?

[OUTLAW]

I say yes its about time that all players are treatin the same. If Vick has to serve time for his first felony. This bitch right here as been n more trouble than Vick. it will be a dam shame if he is allowed to stay on his team n play an dont serve any jail time. WHat do you think IA? maybe im being bias but Vick should have been sent to prison. but i wont be shock if Plaxico gets off with a dam slap on the wrist

[OUTLAW]

Burress turned himself into police, was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a gun, posted $100,000 in bail and slipped out the back entrance of New York Criminal Court with his wife, Tiffany, beside him.

But in that time frame, it became clear how much more has yet to be untangled in the maelstrom that has developed since Burress accidentally shot himself in the right leg at a Manhattan nightclub early Saturday morning -- including how far beyond Burress the case might spread, with teammate Antonio Pierce also under investigation.

What did emerge were several details of the incident, as outlined in a criminal complaint filed by the prosecution:

-- Between 1 and 2 a.m. Saturday, Burress was preparing to the enter the upper VIP section of the Latin Quarter, a club and restaurant at 511 Lexington Avenue. He was holding a drink in his left hand and fidgeting with his right hand around the waistline of his pants;

-- A witness then heard a "pop" sound, followed by Burress saying, "Take me to a hospital." Burress' legs began to shake, and a blood-covered pistol fell out of his pants;

-- Burress was taken by private means to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was treated for a gunshot wound.

Burress does not have a valid weapons permit for the .40 caliber Glock, which was recovered Sunday at Burress' house, and he is facing charges that could result in a prison sentence of between three-and-a-half and 15 years. He was not required to enter a plea and is due back in court on March 31 -- the result of Burress' lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, asking that both the prosecution and defense take their time sorting through this case.

"I stopped trying to predict outcomes," Brafman said. "My hope is it plays out well, and he can continue his career because he's a good person with a brilliant athletic career, and it would be a terrible sadness if an isolated incident could ruin a life."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday called for the prosecution of Burress "to the fullest extent of the law", saying it would be a "sham, a mockery of the law" if authorities did not. He also openly criticized New York-Presbyterian Hospital for not reporting the gunshot wound and the Giants for not calling police when they learned of the incident.

In a statement, the hospital acknowledged that not reporting the wound is a "clear violation of our policies" and said it is conducting a thorough investigation into why it was not reported. The Giants maintained that they have been working closely with both the police and NFL Security and, in the early hours of Saturday morning, did notify NFL Security, who notified the police.

Two of Burress' teammates were with him Friday night: Pierce and Ahmad Bradshaw, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Some news reports named Derrick Ward as the third teammate at the club, but he has strongly and repeatedly denied being there, and police have since backed off those claims.

Pierce is being investigated for his role in the incident, which police believe was taking Burress to a car after he was shot and leaving with him. Bradshaw was not near the shooting, the source said, though coach Tom Coughlin said he was "disappointed" he was at the club.

Police expressed frustration with the NFL and Giants officials, saying they were promised that Pierce would appear at a police precinct Monday where Burress went before heading to court. But Pierce didn't show. Detectives also went to Pierce's house in New Jersey and he was not there.

Police said the Giants did send a member of their medical staff to the precinct who may be able to shed some light on what transpired the night of the shooting, and presumably to relay Pierce's version of events.

"It was a universe of silence after this shooting," said Paul Browne, NYPD Deputy Commissioner for public information.

Pierce declined to provide specifics about the incident yesterday during a radio interview, but said that many facts of the case have been "misconstrued" and "distorted." He has hired an attorney but that he doesn't see himself being arrested, he said.

What's next for Burress, who signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Giants hours before the season opener, remains to be seen. Physically, Burress seems to be doing fine; he did not need crutches or a wheelchair and walked with a normal gait all day. Brafman said if the Giants let him play, he would be able to play -- and added that it was his expectation Burress would return to his job as a member of the football team.

But on a conference call yesterday afternoon, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the organization was still processing the situation and that he wasn't prepared to say whether or not Burress would be at Wednesday's practice. He was also was noncommittal when asked about possibly deactivating Burress while he sorted through his legal issues.

"We're dealing with that," Coughlin said. "We've had some discussions and those discussions will be ongoing. Basically, we just put the Redskins game to rest and we're going to be discussing those other issues as we gain information here over the next couple of days."

The NFL will also have a hand in what implications these charges will have for Burress' football career. The league is cooperating with authorities and will also review the incident under league policies, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement.

Under the NFL's personal conduct policy, players can be punished for "possession or distribution of a weapon in violation of state or federal law," meaning that Burress could be suspended or fined.

But that has yet to be determined -- like most elements in this unfolding saga

[josh green]

I think his parents should be in Jail for naming him that.