14 DAY TRIAL // Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was in court yesterday to address the child abuse charges that had been brought against him and that caused deep embarrassment for the NFL which was accused of double standards when it came to its players.
The NY Times reports that Peterson and his lawyer were present in a court in Conroe, Texas, and pleaded no contest to the reduced charge in front of Judge Kelly W. Case. This was a part of plea deal that saw him get a reduced sentence from what were originally charges of negligent injury to a child, a felony. Instead, the player was now charged with reckless assault.
Peterson's future with the team is still uncertain, managers refrain from making any comments at this point
The player was no more than a couple of minutes in the courtroom as the whole legal proceeding was nothing more than a formality at this point. However, the future of the player in the NFL is still uncertain at this point.
Peterson has yet to find to find out if he will join the Vikings this season. He has already missed out on 8 games, albeit with pay, but he has remained on the commissioner's exempt list. Back in September, the team was ready to let him play again, but a serious backlash from the public, which was fueled by many media reports about how Peterson abused his child, caused them to prolong the suspension.
Peterson's legal troubles stem from an incident that took place earlier this year, in which he beat his 4-year-old son with a switch, leaving visible marks all over his body, legs and arms. The player later said that he didn't feel that he did something out of the ordinary in disciplining his child, and it was only after the child went in for a visit at the doctor that the law got involved.
The player claims he deeply regrets the incident and wants to get over it as soon as possible
Sitting outside the courtroom, Adrian told the press that “I want to say I truly regret this incident. I stand here and I take full responsibility for my actions. I love my son more than any one of you could even imagine. I'm looking forward to, and I'm anxious to continue my relationship with my child. I'm just glad this is over. I can put this behind me and me and my family can begin to move forward. Thanks.”
Peterson's case is only the latest in a series of NFL domestic violence scandal, which began with Ray Rice, the player who was caught on video knocking out his wife with a punch after a violent argument in the elevator of a Las Vegas hotel.