Vikings’ Adrian Peterson Reaches Plea Deal In Child Abuse Case

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2014, file photo, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson warms up for an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in St. Louis. The Vikings benched Peterson for Sunday's game after... FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2014, file photo, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson warms up for an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in St. Louis. The Vikings benched Peterson for Sunday's game after his attorney said he had been indicted by a Texas grand jury on a charge of child abuse. Attorney Rusty Hardin says the charge accuses Peterson of using a branch, or switch, to spank his son. He says Peterson has cooperated with authorities and "used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son." Hardin says Peterson regrets the incident but never intended to harm the boy. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam, File) MORE LESS

CONROE, Texas (AP) — Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson will avoid jail time after reaching a plea agreement in his child abuse case.

A judge agreed to the plea deal during a hearing Tuesday in Conroe, 40 miles north of Houston.

Peterson was indicted in September for using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son earlier this year in suburban Houston. The All-Pro running back was charged with felony injury to a child and had faced up to two years in prison if convicted.

Under the agreement, Peterson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault.

Peterson says he never intended to harm his son and was disciplining him in the same way he had been as a child growing up in East Texas.

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  1. Why do these stories constantly leave out the part where he stuffed leaves in the child’s mouth?

  2. Good point. This is an absolute travesty. The man should have spent at least 12 months in prison for this.

  3. Avatar for dectra dectra says:

    Why do these stories constantly leave out the part where he stuffed leaves in the child’s mouth?

    Or that he beat his son so hard he ripped the kid’s nutsack…

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