Plaxico in Court Again: This Time He's Being Sued

By Alicia E. Cruz Staff Writer theblackurbantimes.com
As if Plaxico Burress doesn't have enough to deal with, he recently had a civil lawsuit filed against him by Alise Smith, 27, of Miami. A source in Broward County stated that Ms. Smith filed her complaint against Burress for injuries she suffered in a car crash in May. The lawsuit, filed in Broward Circuit Court, seeks damages in excess of $15,000 from Burress. The victim alleges that Burress is responsible for rear-ending her Ford Probe on an access ramp to the Florida Turnpike. Miss Smith further claims that the accident has caused her all kinds of back injuries totalling approximately $16,000 in medical bills. Upon contacting Allstate, Burress' insurance company, her attorney discovered that the company had terminated Burress' auto insurance on May 13 - three days before the accident - for non-payment of premiums. Broward County police records show that Burress was cited for careless driving.

Plaxico has been having a bad year, mi gentes.
Beginning with the accident in May followed by two incidents where Passaic County police responded to domestic disturbance calls at the Burress casita. Both times Burress' wife, Tiffany telephoned police. Police records show Tiffany Burress called police on June 2 following what she said was an argument with her husband. When officers arrived, she claimed he had grabbed her. He said his wife slapped him. Neither was arrested, but a Judge granted Tiffany Burress a temporary restraining against her husband. The order was later dismissed by a judge in Paterson, New Jersey. Police were called again on Aug. 19. According to that report, Tiffany Burress left her husband at a New York nightclub after the two got into an argument there. Plaxico Burress arrived home later and began playing loud music. Tiffany Burress called police to the house on that evening and she got another municipal order against her husband - which also was dismissed by the state court.

Plaxico and Wife, Tiffany during happier times AP Photo
Fast forward to Thanksgiving, 2008:

Burress accidentally shoots himself in his leg while partying at the Latin Quarter in Manhattan. He attempts to cover it up and ends up arrested for the gun incident and then suspended by the team for his conduct. This month, The NFL Players Association said it would file a grievance against the New York Giants regarding the team's suspension of Burress. They claim that it is a violation of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement and added that they "intend to file a grievance challenging those actions as we believe that Burress' rights have been violated under the CBA."
If it weren't for bad luck, poor Plaxico would have no luck at all it seems.

Here is some of how it breaks down. With his behavior, Burress has jeopardized at least $6.75 million worth of bonuses in his contract, and an additional $750,000 if the Giants decide to pursue bonus money already paid to him this year. He will forfeit a $100,000 bonus for each game he misses and if his shooting is found to violate his contract, which it likely does, it could potentially cost Burress in excess of $14.5 million. I wonder how the Mrs. feels about this? Bottom line is this, Burress has cooked up a mean sh-- sandwich for himself and it looks as if he's just going to have to take a big 'ol bite of it. All in all, this will be a costly lesson for him, if he learns from it.

What Burress did was reckless and consequences have to be felt.

He carried a loaded pistol into a bar and discharged it. He could have shot someone else and maybe killed or maimed them. This time it was just him. We sweep this under the rug and the next time, it may be someone else. We are not living in the jungles of Colombia or las aldeas de Guadalajara or Chihuahua, Mexico 'Drug Ops Central." He is not Clint Eastwood and he cannot walk around like he's living in a lawless society. If the average Joe Blow civilian had accidentally shot himself while drinking and partying, then went to a hospital, given a alias and was treated without the police being notified, he would have been hung by his neck before sunrise. This is why the player's union coming to his defense is so utterly ridiculous to me. By defending the indefensible they make themselves a joke and will destroy their own credibility.

PROTECTING HIS BLING?

Afraid you'll be robbed of your expensive jewelry? Don't wear it out! Or hire professional, responsible security guards to escort you out. Or better yet, patronize upscale environments where others in attendance have just as much as you if not more, so they won't even consider robbing you.
Don't want your wife calling la policia en usted? Then keep your hands at your side where they belong.
Don't want the NFL suspending or fining you? Good, then don't shrug off practice and don't get into scrapes that land you in a media frenzy thus leading to you being in violation of your contract thus leading you to be suspended.
See where I'm going with this? It's all up to YOU as the individual. Burress made poor decisions and now he's paying the price. He can't blame this on anyone but himself. The last thing Burress needs is someone stroking his back and telling him that he is a victim of the NYPD or the National Football League. He is a victim of his inability to make solid and mature decisions and maybe, just maybe he has a problem doing that because his life has been filled with a never ending parade of people trying to shield him from the consequences of his actions because of his talent and later, his fame. Now he is just going to be another statistic.
IT'S TIME TO GROW UP!
I am glad, however, to see that none of the influential black leaders in America have run to show support of Burress because his conduct has been inexplicably stupid. Their defending him for any reason would only magnify the fact that we have some very serious issues that are only symptoms of a much larger issue.
He's making in excess of me, seven of my brothers, my aunt, uncle, father, niece, ex-boyfriend and six of my neighbors income by the millions yet he has failed to pay his insurance premiums? He needs no defenders. He needs to GROW UP!
That excuse might go over with me if you're the fry girl at McDonalds making $6.20 an hour and trying to feed two children, gas up your Hyundai, pay the rent and daycare bills or a part-time employee caring for nine family members in a third world country and yourself on your $30,000.00 income alone. But when you're a millionaire, it tells me you're just flagrantly irresponsible.