Plaxico - do not pass go...

[SupaDave]

Wow - two years for shooting yourself? Man, I feel for the guy. His lawyer SUCKS. I would've taken that to trial (although I do admit that NY's gun laws are tough)...

[allenmurray]

Wow - two years for shooting yourself? Man, I feel for the guy. His lawyer SUCKS. I would've taken that to trial (although I do admit that NY's gun laws are tough)...

No, two years for carrying an unlicensed and loaded firearem and discharging it in a public place. That fact that he shot himself is inconsequential (it simply proves that Darwin may have been right).

[SupaDave]

No, two years for carrying an unlicensed and loaded firearem and discharging it in a public place. That fact that he shot himself is inconsequential (it simply proves that Darwin may have been right).

In the south we call that New Year's Eve.

But yes - public endangerment indeed but STILL... WOW.

[allenmurray]

In the south we call that New Year's Eve.

But yes - public endangerment indeed but STILL... WOW.

I've lived in the south all my life (and I'm older than you are by a good bit). I've never taken a loaded, unregistered firearm into a crowded nightclub - even on New Years Eve.

What he did was incredibly dangerous- it could have just as easily been a bystander that was shot. Celebrity should not get you greater punishment - but it shouldn't get you off either. Had you or I taken a loaded and unlicensed firearm into a crowded nightclub and had it go off I have no doubt we'd be facing the same penalty as Plaxico. Fortuantely I think we are both smarter than he is (or if not smarter, for all I know he is a genius, we don't suffer from the delusion that our celebrity gives us special privileges).

[YourLandlord]

Wow - two years for shooting yourself? Man, I feel for the guy. His lawyer SUCKS. I would've taken that to trial (although I do admit that NY's gun laws are tough)...

Dude. Chill. If it went to trial it was 3.5 years (minimum) to 15 (max). He got a good deal.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Anyone think he'll really serve the full 2 years?

[SupaDave]

Dude. Chill. If it went to trial it was 3.5 years (minimum) to 15 (max). He got a good deal.

Actually since this is something that happens to rappers quite frequently in New York I know for a fact that Plaxico caught a bum deal. He had no priors and his celebrity as AM stated is definitely the reason for this sentence.

Just an example for comparison and this was his THIRD gun charge and P has a nice little rap sheet on top of that.

http://www.mediatakeout.com/2009/136...in_prison.html

[SupaDave]

Anyone think he'll really serve the full 2 years?

20 months with good behavior. Why even appeal? They'll delay until it's time to get him out.

[SupaDave]

I've lived in the south all my life (and I'm older than you are by a good bit). I've never taken a loaded, unregistered firearm into a crowded nightclub - even on New Years Eve.

Growing up in Durham I never worried about WHO had guns - I only worried about WHERE they were shooting...

[UVaAmbassador]

His lawyer SUCKS. I would've taken that to trial (although I do admit that NY's gun laws are tough)...

He had ZERO chance at trial absent nullification. The facts were undisputed. His lawyer was dealt a terrible hand and did the best he could under the circumstances.

[SupaDave]

He had ZERO chance at trial absent nullification. The facts were undisputed. His lawyer was dealt a terrible hand and did the best he could under the circumstances.

Now I do know that he was gunning for one year and they balked at that. It just seemed to all break down so fast. No probation? No house arrest? No community service? I just have to believe there were other options.

[UVaAmbassador]

Now I do know that he was gunning for one year and they balked at that. It just seemed to all break down so fast. No probation? No house arrest? No community service? I just have to believe there were other options.

I'm sure the prosecutor had some measure of discretion, but its not often that a prosecutor has a high profile target dead to rights and has the mayor demanding vigorous prosecution. Burress' attorney had one option: put a lot of "pretty"s in front of the "please" when seeking mercy for his client. It didn't work; the prosecutor covered his butt with his superiors and the mayor; and Chedder Plax is heading upstate.

Like I said, it was a very bad hand to try to play.

[allenmurray]

I'm sure the prosecutor had some measure of discretion, but its not often that a prosecutor has a high profile target dead to rights and has the mayor demanding vigorous prosecution. Burress' attorney had one option: put a lot of "pretty"s in front of the "please" when seeking mercy for his client. It didn't work; the prosecutor covered his butt with his superiors and the mayor; and Chedder Plax is heading upstate.

Like I said, it was a very bad hand to try to play.

Perhaps next time he goes into a crowded nightclub he'll leave the unregistered, loaded handgun at home. But if he did that he'd have to admit it was actually his fault for breaking the law and acting stupid, and not some grand conspiracy to jail a famous athlete.

The "I'm untouchable" mentality of professional athletes and entertainers no longer surprises me as it is so common.

[UVaAmbassador]

Perhaps next time he goes into a crowded nightclub he'll leave the unregistered, loaded handgun at home. But if he did that he'd have to admit it was actually his fault for breaking the law and acting stupid, and not some grand conspiracy to jail a famous athlete.

The "I'm untouchable" mentality of professional athletes and entertainers no longer surprises me as it is so common.

Please don't misunderstand me, Burress is absolutely guilty and I'm in favor of very stiff penalties for gun crimes. He deserves the time he's getting. Let's be fair about what's happening though - the Mayor more or less admitted that Burress' celebrity is what got him involved. Once an explicit call for "full prosecution under the law" comes down from the Mayor, the DA's office is not going to exercise its discretion to plea bargain down to a lesser offense for a first offender which I suspect usually happens in these cases.

Celebrity played a part in this case, but it certainly doesn't amount to a "grand conspiracy." Burress was stupid enough to commit a dangerous crime that threatened the public safety and was more stupid not to realize that those in the public spotlight are going to be in that same spotlight when they break the law. There wasn't any conspiracy, but the publicity surrounding the case put the DA's office in a corner where they had no opportunity to plea down and still save face.

[allenmurray]

Please don't misunderstand me, Burress is absolutely guilty and I'm in favor of very stiff penalties for gun crimes. He deserves the time he's getting. Let's be fair about what's happening though - the Mayor more or less admitted that Burress' celebrity is what got him involved. Once an explicit call for "full prosecution under the law" comes down from the Mayor, the DA's office is not going to exercise its discretion to plea bargain down to a lesser offense for a first offender which I suspect usually happens in these cases.

Celebrity played a part in this case, but it certainly doesn't amount to a "grand conspiracy." Burress was stupid enough to commit a dangerous crime that threatened the public safety and was more stupid not to realize that those in the public spotlight are going to be in that same spotlight when they break the law. There wasn't any conspiracy, but the publicity surrounding the case put the DA's office in a corner where they had no opportunity to plea down and still save face.

I didn't meant to imply you were defending Burress - sorry if it came off that way.

The same celebrity that gained him millions of dollars helped bring this about. Athletes feel entitled to the perks of being famous but then whine about how their fame causes all this injustice to rain down on them.

With great power comes great responsibilty - Peter Parker

With great talent comes freedom from responsibility - Plaxico Burress

[rasputin]

Actually since this is something that happens to rappers quite frequently in New York I know for a fact that Plaxico caught a bum deal. He had no priors and his celebrity as AM stated is definitely the reason for this sentence.

Just an example for comparison and this was his THIRD gun charge and P has a nice little rap sheet on top of that.

http://www.mediatakeout.com/2009/136...in_prison.html

Bringing an unregistered, loaded firearm into a public place is not something that "happens" to you.

[SupaDave]

Bringing an unregistered, loaded firearm into a public place is not something that "happens" to you.

But arrests do...

[Channing]

his lawyer is actually very very good. I don't think Plax caught a bum rap at all. His plea is still better than had he gone to trial. First and foremost he broke the law. Second, he endangered the lives of many people by (1) bringing a loaded firearm into a crowded nightclub, (2) not even bothering to carry it correctly (i.e. in a holster), but rather in the waste band of his sweatpants, and (3) didn't bother to put the safety on.

I see no problem with aggressivley prosecuting celebrity, as long as it remains within the limit of the law. the IRS does this all the time, and specifically stated they were doing that with regards to both Leona "the little people" Helmsley and Wesley Snipes.

[rasputin]

But arrests do...

He was arrested for something he did, not something that happened to him.

[SupaDave]

He was arrested for something he did, not something that happened to him.

I believe we all pretty much agree that this his arrest was deserved for such idiocy.