Yeah, know any good lawyers?
Plaxico Burress is an obnoxious ass who plays for a team I loathe. But all it took was for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to act like he committed the crime of the century for me to start sympathizing with him.
The incident itself was so stupid, it’s almost surreal. Burress goes into a night club with a loaded gun tucked into his sweatpants and accidentally shoots himself in the thigh. The gun was illegal for him to possess in New York City. He was certainly in violation of the law. But Mayor Bloomberg is pushing for a 3 1/2 year mandatory minimum jail sentence. Really? 3 1/2 years in jail? Is this really worse than what Michael Vick was doing?
It’s starting to become more well-known that many NFL players are carrying guns to protect themselves. A number of players have been feeling targeted recently. Redskins cornerback Sean Taylor was shot and killed in his own home last year in a burglary attempt. ESPN Magazine recently profiled a number of players who say that they fear for their lives when out in public. The vast majority of those players are responsible gun owners.
But Burress clearly isn’t. I think he should be punished for not having his weapon properly registered and for allowing it to go off in a public place, but I still find myself far more threatened by nanny state zealots like Michael Bloomberg than I do by dumbasses like Plaxico Burress.
Carrying an unregistered loaded gun in the waistband of his sweatpants in a night club clearly endangered others, not just his privates. So Lee, if 3 1/2 years is too long, what is appropriate, the ususal NFL shuffle of suspension for a game or two?
It looks like 3-1/2 years in prison is the mandatory minimum sentence in the state of New York for anyone convicted of carrying an illegal loaded handgun. So why should Plaxico Burgess get away with anything less than what ordinary criminals would receive?
That being said, the New York laws regarding handguns seem particularly draconian. And somehow I don’t think it is very easy to get a permit to legally carry a loaded handgun in New York, and probably not that easy to legally buy a handgun in the first place.
Lee,
I agree with both you and Richard on this. But to play the other side should NY appear to lessen the laws for an NFL football star by giving a reduced sentence? Is there precedence for a lesser sentence or dropping the charges? Would you advocate the same thing for somebody else? Say a politician in a restaurant?
There are other circumstances. Like how he tried to cover it up. How his trainer sent him someplace that he could coerce not to report. How Burress used a false name. How his buddy hid the gun.
There is much more to this than him being an idiot. Think about just the act of shooting yourself… It means the gun was loaded, one in the chamber, unsafed. For most handguns even that would preclude an accidental firing as it takes significant pressure to squeeze the trigger unless the gun is also cocked.
So “nanny state” Bloomberg is advocating following the established law and sentencing guidelines of NY. What are you advocating? What NY laws did you look at that makes you think Bloomberg is wrong in this case?
Actually I don’t think Mayor Bloomberg is advocating following how the established law is usually applied in cases like these. I think he is grandstanding and trying to make an example of Burress. For most people with no criminal history and who aren’t involved in a crime, they get a plea deal and don’t go to court where they face the mandatory minimum. Mayor Bloomberg’s act of speaking out makes a plea unlikely, so it’s possible Burress will face a tougher sentence because he is famous.
@1
Carrying an unregistered loaded gun in the waistband of his sweatpants in a night club clearly endangered others, not just his privates.
So is driving drunk, yet if we had a 3 1/2 year mandatory minimum sentence for a single DUI, that would certainly be seen as outlandish.
So Lee, if 3 1/2 years is too long, what is appropriate, the ususal NFL shuffle of suspension for a game or two?
I think a large fine and community service is probably appropriate.
Thanks for the comment.
This draconian law was put in place because of the P. Diddy Trial in 1999. P. Diddy went on trial for weapons charges stemming from a 1999 Manhattan nightclub shooting in which three people were injured. In the end, he was acquitted of all charges. So the liberals changed the law in NYC after P. Diddy got off because of the legal loophole of “intent.” So the new law is affectionately called Diddy’s Gun Law.
Now let Puddy take you down memory lane again. How much time did those NYC police officers get for the rape of a dark-skinned immigrant with a broom stick? I forgot to add it’s a good day when you have Johnny Cochran as your lawyer against NYC.
@2
So why should Plaxico Burgess get away with anything less than what ordinary criminals would receive?
He shouldn’t and I probably should have made that more clear in the post. I definitely agree with your second paragraph. It’s the mandatory minimum that should be gotten rid of. Mandatory minimums are bad ideas in the first place since they take away the ability of judges to exercise discretion.
@3
I don’t think Bloomberg’s failure here is in knowing the law. He certainly knows the law. I think his failure is his inability to sympathize with the fact that there are very valid reasons for people to feel that they should have the right to be armed to protect themselves. And just because there are idiots like Plaxico Burress out there isn’t an excuse to take away that right for others.
Burress should be punished, no doubt. But part of the problem here are NYC’s draconian gun laws and sentencing. And Bloomberg’s belief that he’s making himself look good by cheering on this potential draconian sentence is just disturbing.
@4
If that’s correct, I may not be being tough enough on the mayor. :)
Thanks for the comment.
@6
So the new law is affectionately called Diddy’s Gun Law.
By whom? I just Googled for that and got no results.
Lee, call your black friends in Harlem. I did when I heard about Plaxico. They’ll clue you in on why it’s affectionately called Diddy’s Gun Law.
BTW, for those paying attention, Plaxico has hired P Diddy’s attorney Benjamin Brafman for his defense. Smart move.
I guess Plaxico was dumb but can you blame him?
We all know about Sean Taylor of the Redskins killed in his own home because some idiots had seen some of his valuables when visiting.
Remember Paul Pierce when he got stabbed in Boston?
Ex-Eagles Cornerback Al Harris, robbed at gunpoint in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Raider QB Steve Beuerlein was threatened after a game at the Oakland Coliseum over his car.
What about Durant Williams of Denver Broncos who was killed in his limo?
Any of you remember Brian Pata of University of Miami?
For those of you who are old timers what about Lymon Bostock?
For those of you stressed over the WASL, send your chillins to Grand Rapids, Michigan…
@11
Um, did you even read my post?
Lee, I’m giving others history. How many of these liberals visit ESPN?
It’s funny. Bloomberg lobbying for Burress to be treated per the standard, status quo, established rules is fresh off of his [Bloomberg’s] successful lobbying effort to change the status quo, established rules which will now allowed him to run for a third term. Rules are for suckers.
haha……Lee is upset with Nannystate zealot’s while being one himself.
Everyone that claims to be a Democrat is a nannystater,Lee. Just look at our fucking Mayor and city clowncil for exhibit A.
Too amusing for words.
Is this the same Lee that defended big Government over on an SP thread using the abolishment of prohibition as an example of positive big government while forgetting it was that same government that banned it in the first place?
Typically I adore you Lee, but I think you are way off base on this one.
As a lifetime NRA member, and holder of my very own Washington state conceal/carry handgun permit (and one in Minnesota as well) I think the book should definitely be thrown at Plaxico just as it would be anyone else. Mandatory prison sentences for gun-related crimes are a good disincentive to use a gun, and a more friendly solution to the “gun problem” than it would be to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Plaxico is not a law-abiding gun owner. He is a dangerous (this time only to himself) criminal. He should be treated like one.
Lee
Plaxico is the 10th NY Giant to be arrested this year. These guys are thugs with no respect for the law or society. A large fine that means nothing to them and community service that the team will help him avoid doesn’t cut it. He needs to be locked up for a while, maybe not 3 1/2 years, but long enough that he won’t forget, say 1 to 2 years. Remember the team security folks and doctors tried to hide this. They should also face some obstruction charges. NFL teams and players are not entitled to special treatment.
A couple of questions that will help me decide whether this is a miscarriage of justice or merely a well-deserved penalty for being stupid in public.
Did Mr. Burress even make an attempt to get a gun permit? While I’m something of a fan of the Second Amendment, I do not see permits, training and registration as an infringement of the right to bear arms.
If he made the attempt and was turned down without just cause, then I think he has a legitimate case to make.
However, if he just decided that permits and registration are for ordinary folks, but he was an NFL star, so the rules don’t apply to him, then perhaps a several year vacation in the Buffalo Correctional Facility would do him some good.
Anyone who shoots a rabbit should get life without parole! Rabbits are intelligent, sensitive, and cuddly creatures who should enjoy the same legal rights as humans.
@21
But they make great stew!!!!!! :)
i think we should do what hitler, stalin and mao all did when they came to power, disarm the citizenry.
I think a fair punishment would be we shoot him
one more time then shoot man of truth before he
has any offspring.
why do you want to shoot me, isn’t that what we’re trying to do in this society, disarm the people. isn’t that what those inane guns for gifts as for. the lie is its makes society safer, the truth is just keep getting rid of guns so some day there will be no resistance when the one world govwerment crowd takes over. by the way, speaking of my offspring, mark, if you’re white and christian and you side with the msm, i hope you dont have any offspring yourself, there’s no place for them in the new world. they certainly dont have room for them in hollywood, slowly not in politics (i guarantee you that’ll you’ll never see a white male president again), and did you notice that any tv show that has a courtroom scene has a judge that is either, black, female, asian. what happended to the white male judge? it must be a coidcidence , surely hollwood, where they have so much integrity and honor, would never try to push an agenda.
i just want to barf when i see what happended to this country.
Something for Lee:
http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/110806/
Man, and it makes great paper and the strongest rope you can find.
Last time I checked, these guys make a ton of money for what they do. Why don’t they just hire bodyguards? I know it’s fun to pretend you’re just one of the guys…but they’re not.