Giants WR Burress still questionable for Sunday
12/24/2008
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NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Things just keep getting worse for Plaxico
Burress. The New York Giants' wide receiver had two more guns in his
house, according to FOX 5 News on Tuesday night. The network said that authorities recovered the pistols when
they searched the troubled wideout's home. Citing anonymous sources, New York's local affiliate reported
that the guns were a 9-millimeter handgun and a loaded rifle. When contacted by PA SportsTicker, Burress' criminal attorney
Benjamin Brafman stated that he was aware of only a rifle being
removed from the home. "I believe it was registered, but we're looking into that now,"
Brafman noted in an e-mail. "I'm not informed at this time that
he is facing additional charges. It is not illegal in New
Jersey to have a registered weapon in your home." Any illegality involving firearms owned by Burress would not
help his cause, as he is trying to avoid jail time after
accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a Manhattan club
late last month. Fox 5 said police also found the clothes
Burress was wearing at the time of the shooting. Burress allegedly held an unlicensed gun which he took over
state lines from his home in New Jersey. He pleaded not guilty after being charged with second-degree
criminal possession of a weapon - a Glock semiautomatic pistol -
and third-degree possession for carrying the ammunition clip. Both are Class C felonies, for which Burress could be sentenced
to a mandatory minimum of 3 1/2 years in jail if convicted. He
was placed on the inactive list by the Giants and will not play
the rest of the season. Burress also is in the midst of another lawsuit after allegedly
failing to pay the auto insurance premiums on his $140,000
Mercedes-Benz. Alise Smith, 27, of Miami has filed a civil lawsuit against
Burress for injuries she suffered in a car crash in May. The lawsuit, filed in Broward Circuit Court, seeks damages in
excess of $15,000 from Burress, whom the woman alleges is
responsible for rear-ending her Ford Probe on an access ramp to
the Florida Turnpike. Burress, who has 41 receptions for 454 yards and four
touchdowns, aggravated the hamstring injury early in a 37-29
triumph over the Arizona Cardinals on November 23. It had already been a tumultuous season for Burress, who missed
the team's October 5 game against the Seattle Seahawks after
being suspended for missing a team meeting. Burress, who signed a five-year, $35 million contract extension
prior to the season, also was involved in a sideline
confrontation with Coughlin during a game and has been fined
multiple times for a total of approximately $200,000. The Record of Bergen County also reported last month that police
responded to two domestic disturbance calls at the home of the
star wide receiver in the past six months. Temporary restraining orders were obtained in both instances
after Burress' wife, Tiffany, had phoned the police, according
to the newspaper. During the second incident, in August,
Tiffany Burress claimed she had left her husband at a New York
nightclub following an argument between the pair. Burress led the Giants with 70 receptions for 1,025 yards and a
career-high 12 touchdowns last season, despite being unable to
practice virtually the entire season because of an ankle injury. He capped off his memorable 2007 season by hauling in the
winning touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining that lifted the
Giants to a stunning 17-14 upset of the New England Patriots in
Super Bowl XLII. In his first three-plus seasons with the Giants, Burress has 227
receptions for 3,486 yards and 30 touchdowns. He has 18 catches
for 259 yards and a TD this season.
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