Pierce Reportedly to Testify to Grand Jury
New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce reportedly will testify before a Manhattan grand jury in the Plaxico Burress case.
Pierce will testify about how Burress, the Giants wide receiver who was suspended by the franchise on Tuesday for four games for conduct detrimental to the team and placed on the non-football injury list, accidentally shot himself early Saturday at a midtown Manhattan nightclub, the New York Post reported.
The testimony could help Pierce avoid criminal charges related to allegations that he attempted to hide the gun after the shooting, the newspaper reported.
"He's going to have to testify," a law-enforcement source told the Post.
Burress faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon. He made a court appearance Monday and was freed on $100,000 bail. He's scheduled to be back in court on March 31. Burress faces a possible 3-1/2 to 15 years in jail if convicted.
The Post reported that Pierce's testimony before a grand jury likely would all but ensure an indictment against Burress on the weapon charges.
According to reports, Pierce was with Burress at the nightclub and the two left together after the shooting. Pierce has been accused of taking the gun to New Jersey after the incident. The gun reportedly was later recovered at Burress's home in New Jersey.
Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday that the team was not considering disciplinary action against Pierce at the moment. Coughlin said that Pierce's playing status was unaffected by the incident.
It's unclear if Pierce could face possible punishment by the league under the NFL's personal conduct policy, which does not require a player to be charged with or convicted of a crime for Commissioner Roger Goodell to impose penalties.
The Giants ended Burress's season with their actions Tuesday. The four-game suspension, if it's without pay, would cost Burress $823,529 of his $3.5 million salary for this season. The placement of Burress on the non-football injury list made him ineligible to play for the team again this season or postseason; it also could potentially enable the Giants to attempt to force him to return a portion of the bonus money in his five-year, $35 million contract.
The NFL Players Association has indicated that it will file a grievance on Burress's behalf contending that the Giants' punishment violated his rights under the sport's collective bargaining agreement.
By
Mark Maske
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December 4, 2008; 11:14 AM ET
| Category:
Crime
,
Giants
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League
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Posted by: Labe Richman | December 4, 2008 5:16 PM
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If he testifies in the grand jury, Pierce would be given automatic immunity from prosecution under New York law. All witnesses receive immunity when they testify unless they sign a waiver of immunity before they testify. Most people would only sign a waiver if they were going to testify that they did not commit a crime they were going to be charged with.