Plaxico Burress: Pleads Guilty, Jail Time Unjustified

The Plaxico Burress saga is officially over. The former New York Giants receiver and Super Bowl champion will follow in the footsteps of Michael Vick and Donte Stallworth on his way to prison.

Burress accepted a plea bargain, and pled guilt to two counts for criminal possession of a firearm and one count of reckless endangerment. The former first-round pick will be incarcerated for two years.

The state of New York was quite stern on their assessment of the Burress case, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg urging that Burress be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, saying that any punishment short of the minimum three-and-a-half years for unlawful carrying of a handgun would be "a mockery of the law."

The facts of the case have been noted numerous times.

On Friday, Nov. 28, 2008, Burress suffered an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the right thigh in the New York City nightclub LQ when his Glock pistol tucked in the waistband of his sweatpants, began sliding down his leg. Apparently in reaching for the gun, he inadvertently depressed the trigger, causing the gun to fire.

Burress had an expired concealed carry license from Florida, but not one for the state of New York.

The state of New York was looking to make an example out of Plaxico Burress. For many years, celebrity status would allow others to avoid the trouble that they had caused.

Players such as Ray Lewis and Leonard Little had previously received lesser sentences for crimes against society. New York decided to take a page from the state of Virginia for punishing athletes.

Plaxico Burress should not have brought a gun into a nightclub. Yes, I agree to that, but does that mean he should be in jail for two years?

Burress only hurt himself, the "crime" was not even reported to the police of New York. It was an accident, something that has ruined his future career as a football player.

I want Burress to be punished. I don't, however, want a self-inflicted gunshot wound to end his career.

New York went after Burress in hopes of using him as an example that no man is above the law. The problem with this idea is that Plaxico Burress, a celebrity, will be punished more because of his social status.

Plaxico made an honest mistake, one that will surely hinder his ability to continue his career. New York needs to realize that all men are created equal, let's not put celebrity on a pedestal, positively or negatively.