Adrian Peterson Pleads No Contest To Misdemeanor, Avoids Jail
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CONROE, TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) -- Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson pleaded no contest on Tuesday to misdemeanor reckless assault as part of an agreement to resolve his felony child abuse case.
As part of the plea, Peterson will pay a $4,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service, and be placed on deferred adjudication for two years. Montgomery County state District Judge Kelly Case approved the agreement Tuesday afternoon.
A south Texas grand jury indicted Peterson on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child in September. If the case had gone to trial, Peterson would have faced between six months to two years in state prison with a conviction.
According to police, Peterson admitted to hitting his 4-year-old son with a switch (a small branch from a tree) in Texas in May. Images obtained of the boy's injuries showed a number of cuts on his legs and thighs.
Last month, the Montgomery County District Attorney requested that Peterson's $15,000 bond be revoked after the running back allegedly admitted to violating his bond terms by smoking marijuana.
Court documents show that Peterson told a staffer that he had "smoked a little weed."
MORE: Peterson Faces Arrest After Drug Admission
Prosecutors also requested that Judge Case be removed, accusing Case of being biased against them. That request was denied.
The 6-time Pro Bowl running back, who was placed on the team's Exempt/Commissioner's Permission List on Sept. 17, will be subject to discipline from the NFL following the resolution of the case.
Peterson has missed eight games and has not been allowed to participate in team activities, though he has continued to receive his salary.
In August, Roger Goodell and the NFL introduced more aggressive penalties for domestic violence offenders.
The league announced that first-time offenders will receive a 6-game ban at minimum. A second offense could result in a lifetime ban from the NFL.
NFL Introduces Tougher Penalties For Domestic Violence
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