honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:45 a.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2008

NFL: Burress arrives at stadium as NYPD investigates

By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — As Plaxico Burress arrived at Giants Stadium on Tuesday and faced the possibility his career with the Giants could be over, detectives with the NYPD spent another day seeking out details from his teammates over his nightclub shooting.

Police said that the Giants sent an official who deals with player issues and two trainers who provided some information about the shooting, but they are still waiting to speak to more informed witnesses. That includes the hospital that treated Burress and teammate Antonio Pierce, who was at the club.

Police want to know what the linebacker did moments after the shooting and whether he helped cover up what happened. The NYPD also wants to talk to Giants running back Ahmed Bradshaw, who they now believe was at the club as well.

Pierce is planning to meet personally with members of the district attorney's office "in the near future," according to his lawyer, Michael Bachner.

Burress drove up to the stadium tunnel Tuesday morning, one day after he was charged with illegal gun possession. Burress was required to be there because he is on the active roster and injured.

A few hours after Burress arrived, Giants general manager Jerry Reese said outside the stadium there was "nothing to report right now." Asked if something might happen later, he told reporters: "If something is decided by the end of the day, you'll be the first to know."

Asked if commissioner Roger Goodell was planning on meeting with Burress or Pierce, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said: "This is an active law enforcement investigation and our focus is on cooperating with the NYPD."

Burress shot himself in the right thigh at a Manhattan nightclub over the weekend in a case that has angered the mayor of New York.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke out again Tuesday about the case, saying he talked to Giants owner John Mara and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. He told them that the law says "you see something, you gotta call the cops. That's the thing you should do."

Bloomberg also said the state should consider revoking the liquor license of the nightclub for letting Burress enter with a gun.

The New York Police Department has expressed frustration with the NFL and the Giants. Police said they were promised Pierce would appear Monday at the same police precinct where Burress surrendered, but Pierce has not shown.

"After the events in question, Mr. Pierce did what any other reasonable person would do under the circumstances, he hired counsel," Pierce's lawyer said. "After we were hired, I was in immediate and direct contact with the DA's office."

Bachner said he hasn't been notified that Pierce will be charged with any crime related to the case.

"Mr. Pierce, given the extraordinary circumstances of that evening, acted responsibly in trying to save what could have been the life of a friend," Bachner said.

The hospital that treated Burress also has come under scrutiny. New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center said officials "take this very seriously, and are conducting a thorough investigation into why this gunshot wound was not reported to the police department in a timely fashion."

Hospital spokeswoman Kathy Robinson said Tuesday an individual has been suspended related to the incident, but would not say if the person was a doctor or hospital staff member.

A person familiar with the case said a doctor who was not a staff member came to the hospital shortly after Burress arrived there around 2 a.m. and treated him. The doctor's privileges to work out of the hospital have been suspended, according to the person, who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Burress isn't the only Giant involved in gun-related violence recently.

According to Clifton, N.J., police, Steve Smith was robbed at gunpoint in the early hours of Nov. 25. The second-year receiver had returned to his townhouse in a chauffer-driven car when he was approached from behind by man who held a gun to his head, Clifton police Capt. Robert Rowan said.

"He said to him, 'Give me everything you got,' and Mr. Smith turned over his jewelry and money and cell phone," Rowan said Tuesday.

The man is still being sought, Rowan said. It was unclear if Smith's driver was at the townhouse during the holdup.

Burress' trouble came just 10 months after he made the winning catch in the Super Bowl. But on Monday, Burress was hauled out of a police precinct in handcuffs facing two weapons charges.

He posted $100,000 bail and was told by the judge that his next appearance won't be until March 31. In the meantime, the Giants and the NFL will have to make a decision about what to do with the troublesome wide receiver.

The 31-year-old player did not say anything in court Monday and did not make a statement to police when booked at a midtown precinct. His lawyer stressed that Burress is innocent until proven guilty and denied Burress took part in any cover-up.

"He is standing tall. He is a mature adult," said Benjamin Brafman, his defense lawyer. "I think any professional athlete in this situation would be concerned."

Burress shot himself in the right thigh in the VIP section of the Latin Quarter nightclub about 1 a.m. Saturday, police said. He did not have a permit to carry a handgun in New York.

A witness reported hearing a popping sound before Burress' legs began to shake, according to a criminal complaint. It said the person saw a bloody pistol fall out of his pant leg and land on the floor before Burress said, "Take me to a hospital."

Burress was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, which could result in a prison sentence of 3½ years to 15 years if he is convicted.

But it's possible that Burress could avoid prison entirely if he were to plead guilty to a lesser charge, getting probation and community service. Such plea deals and sentences are quite frequent in New York for first-time offenders.

Originally, police said that running back Derrick Ward was with Burress and Pierce at the club, relying on information given to them from security guards at the club. Police later confirmed Ward was not present, and instead believe teammate Bradshaw was at the club and hope to speak to him on the incident.

The Giants released a statement disputing the police's version of their involvement.

"We are working closely with the police and NFL Security," it said. "In the early hours of Saturday morning, as we started to get a sense of what we were dealing with, we did, in fact, notify NFL Security, which then contacted the police."

The Giants have not decided what to do with Burress, who was suspended for a game and fined for missing a team meeting in September. New York could suspend him again or deactivate him for Sunday's home game against the Eagles. The Giants could go as far as releasing Burress, but that would put a strain on the team's salary cap next season.

Meanwhile, three Giants players showed up at a previously scheduled event in Manhattan about health awareness: wide receivers Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon and teammate Mario Manningham. Hixon was the only one to speak to reporters, but did not get into specifics about the Burress episode.

"It's not the time or the place," Hixon said. "We're concerned about his well-being."

Associated Press Writers Colleen Long and Verena Dobnik in New York, Beth DeFalco in Trenton, N.J., and AP Football Writer Dave Goldberg contributed to this report.