Plaxico Burress' Punishment Doesn't Fit the Crime

His former teammate LaVar Arrington comes to his defense.

| Posted: September 1, 2010 at 4:34 PM

Re-posted from The Root.com.

by LaVar Arrington

My former teammate while with the New York Giants Plaxico Burress was denied a work furlough Tuesday. The New York State Department of Correctional Services said the serious nature of his November 2008 crime led them to turning down his request for a second time. Burress can appeal but otherwise can't reapply for a work furlough until June 6, 2011.

This was a disappointing piece of news to me; he was my teammate and we are family friends. I'm still confused as to how our legal system operates sometimes. I know I'm sounding like a Plaxico apologist, and I'm OK with that. Burress, in my opinion, is not a criminal.

I find it strange that an area of New York City full of popular night spots, where you can easily see the biggest names in entertainment and sports pulling up to these places, allegedly has had tons of robberies and shootings, some inside the clubs, some outside. I clearly recall, during the short time I was there, my then-teammate and Giant safety Gibril Wilson getting robbed at gunpoint for all his jewelry before he even got out of his car to go into the club.

Read the rest of this article at The Washington Post.