Archives : accidental shooting
Football Star May Face Further Gun Charges
Following his arrest last November for two counts of felony gun possession, New York Giants wide-receiver Plaxico Burress‘ home was searched by law enforcement last week where they seized weapons and clothing that could lead to additional illegal possession of weapons charges.
Burress Accidentally Shot Himself with Illegal Firearm
On Nov. 8, 2008 Burress unintentionally shot himself in the leg while attending a Manhattan night club. After a subsequent trip to the hospital, local police caught up with him and found that he had no proof of legal ownership for the gun he had shot himself with.
Police Seize Additional Firearms
When police searched Burress’ New Jersey home last week they seized the following items:
- 9mm handgun
- .30-06-caliber rifle
- a clip for a .45 gun
- ammunition
- Sneakers worn by Burress during the accidental shooting
Burress was not present during the search but his wife and attorney were.
Police Yet to Determine Legal Ownership of Firearms
Police investigators are trying to determine whether the weapons are registered, so it is unclear whether Burress will face additional charges.
Police detective Dennis Blakely, who lead the search commented, “He’s not around, we don’t have any paperwork for the weapons, so we’ll have to find out.”
Burress Faces Lengthy Prison Term
Burress currently faces two counts of second degree criminal possession of a gun. If convicted of both charges he would face a:
- Minimum 3-and-a-half year prison term
- Maximum 15 year prison term
Burress Suspended and Scrutinized
In addition to criminal charges, Burress was suspended for the remainder of the NFL season and has faced a large amount of public scrutiny. The incident has also sparked a gun law debate by many who feel that while Burress obviously displayed very poor judgment, the punishment he faces is unjustified.
(Source: CNN)
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