While there might be some truth to this, it doesn’t change the fact that Peterson beat his kid to the point of having welts, bruises and blood all over his body and admits to even whipping the boy’s scrotum.
He might not intended it to be that bad, but he was very clear he thought he didn’t do anything wrong. The fact his lawyer is trying to downplay what he did after his plea deal isn’t helping him.
“I hope and trust he doesn’t fall prey to all these publicized events involving other people, which had nothing to do with his situation,” lawyer Rusty Hardin said on Mike & Mike. “This is a parent disciplining a child and an unintended harm occurred. But it has nothing to do with child abuse, domestic abuse, family abuse and so on, so I hope he doesn’t continue to get lumped in with problems others have.”
“On September 4 we were informed a grand jury here had declined to charge him and that it was over,” Hardin said. “And then the Ray Rice video came out that Monday on TMZ, and that next Thursday, the 11th, we were informed the grand jury was reconsidering his case, and then he was indicted. Part of what’s happened here is lumping these athletes in together. They’re all individuals, they’re all different circumstances. What I’m hoping is the NFL and the public will assess them individually and not lump them together. And if they do that I think Adrian has earned the right to get his chance.”
Hardin is right Peterson and Rice are two different situations, but both were horrific in nature. Unlike Peterson, Rice can’t use the excuse of “well my daddy hit my momma, so I thought it was ok”.
Peterson should be happy that he isn’t in jail and stop having his lawyer trying to make this seem ok.