vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Adrian Peterson's case reset for early August
Posted by: Dan Wiederer under Vikings, Adrian Peterson Updated: July 13, 2012 - 12:09 PM
Adrian Peterson appeared in a Houston courtroom this morning for arraignment proceedings following his arrest last weekend inside a nightclub. The hearing was to be predominantly procedural. But according to the Houston Chronicle, Peterson’s case was reset for Aug. 6 as he faces misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest.
Peterson was arrested early Saturday after an altercation with club security. Houston police contend that the Vikings running back was confrontational and became physical with an off-duty officer when asked to leave the club at closing time. Peterson spent several hours in jail, formally charged with resisting arrest and was released on a $1,000 bond.
Details of the incident remain vague. But since Monday, Peterson’s attorney Rusty Hardin has been on a national media blitzkrieg to advance his client’s version of the events and quell the negative publicity Peterson has received.
Hardin contends at least four witnesses not affiliated with either Peterson or the Houston police say the Vikings running back was not causing trouble, never pushed or shoved any of the officers and didn’t resist the authorities.
Hardin also asserts Peterson was “jumped” by over-aggressive officers and punched at least twice in the head. Peterson’s face was swollen after the fracas and his shoulders wrenched, according to Hardin.
As the case proceeds, Hardin is asking prosecutors to take a hard look at why officers wanted to arrest Peterson in the first place. The Vikings’ star is not charged with anything beyond resisting arrest. Yet to deliver a case with any sort of weight, Hardin contends the prosecution will have to show there were legitimate grounds for trying to arrest Peterson to begin with. And Hardin has been adamant that any allegation that Peterson initiated the scuffle with police is false.
UPDATE: Peterson spoke briefly to reporters outside the courtroom this morning and said he is "200 percent innocent."
"I didn't push, shove, touch anything to anyone that night, especially an officer," Peterson said. "I definitely don't have a problem with the Houston P.D. This involves two individual officers that I have an issue with. Once everything is settled and (comes) to a head, the truth will come out."
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