Why Plaxico Burruss Is Being Treated Unfairly

We’ve heard so much lately in the news about athletes who have run into trouble with the law. Whether it is dog fighting charges or weapons charges it is extensively covered by nearly everyone.

Everyone says athletes should be held accountable for their actions, and I agree.

But who holds the authorities accountable for their aggressive pursuit of justice?

Let me be the first to say I am not a Plaxico Burress fan. In fact if he offered to play for free for the Carolina Panthers, I would hope they would reject him. Nevertheless, I feel he is being treated unfairly.

From day one of his potential suicide attempt (Yes I call it suicide. Do you know how close he was to shooting his cup-protected area?), everyone involved in the legal system has said they are going to pursue maximum sentencing.

When was the last time that a New York Mayor pursued maximum sentencing on any charge? Mayor Bloomberg has said that any punishment less than the minimum three-and-a-half years for unlawful carrying of a handgun would be "a mockery of the law."

So I’m going to breakdown the situation now.

Plaxico carried a gun into a nightclub, guilty.

Shot himself in the leg, guilty.

Went to the hospital and got treatment without reporting the incident, gui…wait that one is on the hospital. Plaxico turns himself in, good for him.

Plaxico did put a lot of lives at risk that night. Thankfully he only shot himself by accident instead of someone else. He did commit a crime and he should serve some time for it, but not the maximum.

And Plaxico has a strong argument on his decision to carry a firearm. I think the past couple of years have shown that without a doubt.

Recently Vernon Forrest was murdered in an attempted robbery. Sean Taylor was also murdered in an attempted robbery. Steve McNair was gunned down in a hotel by his mistress.

Let’s face it. Athletes have become a major target for crimes. And that’s just a list of gun crimes. I haven't even mentioned the Pitino case.

Athletes should be treated equally and fairly. Just because someone is popular does not give you the right to use them as an example.

Does anyone honestly think that jailing Plaxico for the maximum amount of time is going to take one single gun off the streets of New York?

Instead of wasting the money on feeding him and sheltering him for three years, take that money and put an extra cop on the streets.

There are plenty of other things that they New York Mayor and the judicial system could be focusing on instead of trying to set an example off of a popular figure.