Police Raid Plaxico Burress’ House, Find More Guns
Authorities seized a small cache of weapons and ammunition from the New Jersey home of New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, the New York Post and Newsday both reported Wednesday, possibly setting up the embattled player for more legal trouble.
The Post, citing anonymous law enforcement sources, said a 9-mm handgun, a rifle and ammunition for three other guns — a .380, a .45 and a .40, the same caliber of gun Burress accidentally shot himself with — were seized during the execution of a search warrant at Burress’ home in Totowa.
Benjamin Brafman, the star receiver’s criminal attorney, said Tuesday night that he was aware of only a rifle being taken from the home.
“I believe it was registered, but we’re looking into that now,” Brafman said. “I’m not informed at this time that he is facing additional charges.”
If the weapons are unregistered, Burress could face more charges in New Jersey in addition to the two felony gun-possession charges he was slapped with following the accidental shooting at a Manhattan nightclub last month.
“It is not illegal in New Jersey to have a registered weapon in your home,” Brafman said.
Burress was not at home during the search by Totowa police, the NYPD and officials from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office — though sources said his wife was at home. Brafman said his client is “out of town” but did not elaborate.
Also found in the search — but not seized, since it was unconnected to any criminal allegations — was a suitcase full of money.
Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh at the Latin Quarter nightclub on Nov. 29 when he fumbled with an unlicensed handgun tucked into the waistband of his sweat pants. He checked himself into New York-Cornell Hospital and later turned himself in to police.
The Giants suspended the Super Bowl hero for the rest of the season following the shooting and also withheld $1 million owed to him as part of his signing bonus.
Burress is due back in court on March 31 and faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison on each count.
Burress was also sued last week in Florida’s Broward County Circuit Court for rear-ending a woman in May while driving his nearly $140,000 Mercedes-Benz without insurance.
Compounding the Super Bowl star’s defense, according to a document provided by the woman’s attorney, is the fact his car insurance lapsed three days before the crash. A letter from Allstate says Burress neglected to pay his premiums.
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While it is understandable Burress would carry a gun, being that he and other athletes are often easy targets from crimminals seeking an easy score and name for themselves. He should have taken a gun course, as well as carried the weapon in a shoulder or hip holster. He should not have been carring it in his pants pocket or waist band like a common criminal…..One thing every one must bear in mind, agree or not: Possession of a gun is a right wile others would have you believe otherwise.
Another thing Blacks tend to overlook is that gun laws were changed once the Black Panthers of old asserted their rights to carry weapons, albeit empty of bullets. These laws were enacted to prevent Blacks from obtaining and defending themselves during the era of the Civil Rights Movement (before and after) in order to criminalize civil disobedience….Nowadays it is the same although with a different twist as “ALL” Blacks are criminials or so the media would have you think so——therfore laws must be enacted to prevent weapons falling into the hands of these criminals….If an intelligent person were to sit and actually think about this, they would be able to peer into the mind think of those in power to full understand the insidiousness behind these inane gun laws…..Many of us are fed this BS on a constant basis, eat it up and come to believe it because we are inundated with the same BS over and over again. Feed them fear and they will eat it…….
In closing, I do not believe the police should have invaded this man’s home, his privacy nor his Constitional rights to own guns….But hey; Michael Bllomberg has decided to make an example of PB…..Bloomberg has NO right in asserting what should or should not be done to PB by trying to influence the outcome as has been noted in his statements to the press….
Plaxico? Stupid yes! A criminal? No! Make an example of him like they did Vick is their intent! SHOW THE N**** HIS PLACE is their agenda–both the NJ and NYPD (holding a joint search warrant)! And we eat it up instead of reading between the lines!