Why Are Plaxico Burress and Marvin Harrison Treated Differently?

by Midwest Sports Fans on Dec 3, 2008 1:12 AM EST Comment 17 comments

We just posted a new item over at Midwest Sports Fans talking about the Plaxico Burress case and comparing it to the shooting investigation involving Marvin Harrison from earlier this year. And the basic question is why has there been such a drastic treatment of the two men?

Obviously there are many differences in the case:

--Marvin has not been charged criminally

--Marvin does not have the history of being a bad teammate like Plaxico

etc.

But there are also differences that seem a lot worse in the Harrison case, like the fact that the alleged act hurt someone other than himself.

I am wondering if anyone has heard anything recently on the Harrison case. I have not, nor could I find anything online since October when the civil suit was announced. It seems strange that everything has gone so quiet, when the last update was that the criminal investigation was still open -- and the evidence certainly looked pretty damning for Marvin, even in the best case scenario (which is that he didn't pull the trigger but someone else used his gun).

I think it is only fair as so many people throw stones at Plaxico to remember that he is not the only wide receiver getting into trouble with guns. It does seem, however, that the differences in their reputations and locker room demeanor are creating the difference in how these cases are viewed. And maybe more will come out about the Harrison case later, and it will become a big issue again. But I do find the relative treatment of the two cases to be interesting.

I'd love to get your feedback, from a Colts perspective. And I would certainly love an update if I have simply been out of the loop or missed a new development.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

0 recs | Comment 17 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

One arrested and charged, one not even a suspect...

You may want to ignore those facts, but I’m pretty sure, ya know, you can’t do that in the real world.

Marvin Harrison may or may not be guilty of something. So far the police have: Said he’s not a suspect. Have not charged him with anything. Have not even implied that he broke the law in any way, shape, or form.

Plaxico Burress, on the other hand, shot himself with an unregistered gun. He was charged with a crime. He will serve a minimum of 3.5 years in jail.

What part of this is confusing?

by Nideak on Dec 3, 2008 1:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

This is exactly why I wanted to bring the conversation up here.

What are the latest “facts” in this case? The most recent reports I’ve read were from the Philly newspapers in which Harrison had not been charged criminally, but the investigation was still open. And I have not read any refutations of the charges that are alleged against Harrison. I realize this is not uncommon since the case is open, but still — where is the evidence, even circumstantial or hearsay, to counter the charges?

With the Harrison case, there seems to be far more smoke than fire. Obviously the facts are more cut and dry with Burress. I just think it is interesting that the Harrison case has gone away, but without any closure that I have seen reported.

I like Marvin Harrison, and always have. He is not the saint people have painted him out to be, but he certainly is not a locker room cancer like Burress — who is getting what he deserved, in my opinion.

Perhaps things will “even out” and the Harrison story will get more play once there is more to report. I was really hoping that by bringing it up, someone could point me to any new facts if there are any.

Jerod Morris
http://www.midwestsportsfans.com

by Midwest Sports Fans on Dec 3, 2008 8:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

where is the evidence, even circumstantial or hearsay, to counter the charges?

With the Harrison case, there seems to be far more smoke than fire.

These two statements basically explain why this incident is a non-story.

First off, there are no charges, so why would he (he being Harrison), his lawyers, or anyone else for that matter, need to counter anything when there is nothing to counter? Seems quite redundant if you ask me.

Secondly, all of the smoke surrounding this incident was built up by the media, once they found out there was nothing there they pretty much just dropped the entire story because it was a dead end. You know just about as much as I, and the media apparently, because I haven’t heard a peep about the story except for that ridiculous suit against Harrison.

The King of Anti-Fail and Unofficial Moderator of Stupid People

by KingRichard on Dec 3, 2008 8:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

media built smoke

that’s a huge part of this, because when it happened every new report and completely different details. Here is the story as best we can tell from the reports

Marvin Harrison and Dennis Dixon got in a fist fight fight in Marvin’s bar
[The fight spilled out into the street / two weeks later outside Marvin’s auto garage]
someone fired a
[custom made 50caliber Belgian handgun designed to pierce 48 layers of Kevlar / a ~.22 caliber Belgian handgun that is only designed to pierce armor with special armor pierce rounds not sold to civilians and which are not effective against Kevlar vests]
owned by Marvin Harrison at Dixon. Dixon was hit in the hand and glass from a shattered window hit a young
[girl / boy]
The gun was
[found in a bucket at Marvin’s car wash / handed over by Harrison / found in Marvin’s auto garage]
Philly Police say that Marvin is
[Not a suspect / Not a suspect / Not a suspect]

Shonn Greene for Heisman
Big Ten's leading Rusher, Leads FBS
144 yards per game
6.2 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Dec 3, 2008 11:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Closure?

Most criminal cases don’t get closure, no matter what you see on Law & Order. Sometimes it comes down to conflicting testimony, with no way to determine who is telling the truth. Ever hear of something called “burden of proof”? The police have to determine that there was in fact a crime committed, then they have to come up with the proof that it was committed by a certain person, “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

I have no doubt that in Philly, someone fired a gun, and this man has a GSW to the hand. Ballistics could determine that it was fired from that specific gun, but it stops there. If there are conflicting accounts of who shot the gun, then the only thing they could do is fingerprint the gun, but even if it had Marvin’s fingerprints on it, so what? It’s his gun. They have no case against anybody, that’s why it has “disappeared.”

Check it to Pancakes! Pancakes!

by Picky on Dec 4, 2008 1:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The part with Burress serving 3.5 years in jail :)

I believe it was maximum 3.5 yearsm not minimum.

by jocre on Dec 3, 2008 4:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

No it was a minimum of 3.5 and a maximum of 15.

The King of Anti-Fail and Unofficial Moderator of Stupid People

by KingRichard on Dec 3, 2008 7:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dear God

I think you’re right. Wow, 15 years seems a bit harsh, considering how many people owns a gun. Well, in that case, this might be the end of Plax..

by jocre on Dec 3, 2008 7:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I Heard...

That the minimum was changed after Diddy (who was Puff Daddy at the time, I believe) got off. I think it was on MNF or the pregame show.

by TouchdownMonkey on Dec 3, 2008 10:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is a NYC law

Mayor Bloomberg, to his credit, is a national leader on the issue and has worked tirelessly for tougher gun laws across the board (illegal selling, possession, use, etc.) If Plax is guilty — still an “if” at this point —I hope he rots in jail (for 3 years anyway). And given that Plax was reportedly laughing and joking about the incident with teammates, I doubt he’ll get a whole lot of sympathy from New Yorkers. Funny thing about us New Yorkers: we like to go to our bars and clubs without worrying that some asshole brought a gun to the party.

by ctnyc on Dec 3, 2008 6:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I still have a place in my heart for Plaxico

for scoring the winning TD in the SB :-)

by LovinBlue on Dec 3, 2008 10:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The biggest reason they are treated very differently is that there’s absolutely no evidence Harrison shot anyone.

The other big difference is that his weapon was registered. So if he didn’t shoot anyone, and he doesn’t own an unregistered weapon, what on earth could he be charged with?

Burress is in trouble because he was carrying a concealed, unregistered weapon in public. Marvin is not in trouble because he isn’t a complete moron.

by eltharion_doa on Dec 3, 2008 5:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Marvin is not in trouble because he isn’t a complete moron.

That is the most sensible statement I have heard yet.

Jerod Morris
http://www.midwestsportsfans.com

by Midwest Sports Fans on Dec 3, 2008 8:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Market

Another contributing factor could be the New York market. It seems that everything is magnified ten-fold when the New York media get involved.

by burc on Dec 3, 2008 10:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Plax

shot himself with a concealed weapon in a city where it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon without proper registration. The penalty for being caught with a concealed weapon is 3.5 years minimum. He went to a hospital under an assumed name. Somebody recognized him and the truth came out. Now, if he’d had Pierce driven him back the New Jersey (where Plax undoubtibly lives) he could have gone to a hospital and said that he was at home cleaning his weapon and accidentally shot himself.

I think its sad; we’ve all been watching Plax self-destruct for the past 6 months. I just hope he hasn’t taken Antonio Pierce down with him.

The point is, that he knew the law – Michael Strahan said that the Giants organization makes them all aware of it.

I don’t think that one can even make a comparison between Plax and Marv. Two completely different sets of circumstances, laws and facts.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Dec 3, 2008 11:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

good points, but

I believe Antonio Pierce, if he really goes down too, has only himself to blame. He’s an adult now.

by Ayrshire on Dec 3, 2008 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That's true.

I think that if a person is going to a place where he/she feels the need to carry a weapon, chances are pretty good that they shouldn’t be there to begin with.

Pierce should not have take the gun back to Jersey. He knew what he was doing…I’m sure he was trying to help Plax cover it up.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Dec 3, 2008 12:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs