Buress Sentenced To 2 Years In The Slammer

NFL News - September 22nd, 2009 - Written by Scott

Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Buress has been officially sentenced for violating New York's rigorous gun laws and will begin immediately serving his two year sentence. Buress pleaded guilty to a lesser gun charge and is expected to serve twenty months, a sentence he agreed to last month. He agreed to a plea deal on August 20 and pleaded guilty to attempted weapons possession in the second degree. Not long after his court appearance, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the receiver and stated that he cannot sign with any team until his sentence is carried out. Following this twenty month sentence, he will be placed on a supervised release for two years and will be monitored during this time. These charges came about after Buress accidentally shot himself in his right thigh at a nightclub in Manhattan.

His defense attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said that the sentence was far too severe for the charges against him.

"This was not an intentional criminal act," Brafman said. "In my judgment, a two-year prison sentence is a very severe punishment."

In late July, Buress testified before a grand jury in hopes of convincing them that the gun he possessed was not going to be used in a crime. Buress would later be indicted on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment.

In late November of 2008, Buress and Antonio Pierce were at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan when a gun that Buress had in his waistband fell out and went down his leg. The gun went off and the bullet hit Buress in the thigh. According to prosecutors, the bullet was found in the floor and narrowly missed one of the security guards at the nightclub. Pierce later drove Buress to the hospital and then took the gun to his house. Pierce was not charged with any crime following his assistance to Buress. The gun he was carrying was not licensed in New York or in New Jersey. His license to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Florida had expired in May 2008.

Buress caught the winning touchdown in the 2008 Super Bowl as the Giants defeated the undefeated New England Patriots. The 32 year old receiver plans to return to the NFL following his two year sentence. Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick is making his return to football this year after serving his prison sentence. NFL analyst Gil Brandt said it might be difficult for Buress to make a return, but his age will not be the factor if he doesn't make a return. Maintaining his football skills while in prison will be the only question.

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