Peterson free on $15,000 bond, faces up to two years in prison
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Facing charges of injury to a child, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson turned himself into authorities in Texas early Saturday morning and was released.
Peterson, the 2012 NFL MVP, returned to Texas late Friday afternoon after news broke that he was indicted on the charges by a grand jury in Montgomery County, Texas, near Houston where he lives in the offseason. Peterson reported to authorities around 1 a.m. Saturday morning and posted a $15,000 bond, according to Montgomery County district attorney Phil Grant.
Grant briefed the media on the case Saturday afternoon, stating that Peterson, 29, faces up to two years in jail and up to $10,000 in fines on the charges, which stem from an incident of disciplining a child with a tree branch in May. Grant said probation is an option for those who have no criminal record.
"Obviously parents are entitled to discipline their children as they see fit, except for when that discipline exceeds what the community would say is reasonable," Grant said Saturday. "So a grand jury having indicted this case, looked at the injuries that were inflicted upon the child and determined that that discipline was not reasonable and did not reflect the community’s standard of what was reasonable."
The team announced Friday that Peterson would be inactive for Sunday's home game against the New England Patriots. Peterson’s case will also be reviewed by the NFL under the league's personal conduct policy, according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.
Peterson, the league's second-leading active rusher, was disciplining a son with a "switch," according to his attorney, Rusty Hardin.
"Adrian Peterson has been informed that he was indicted by a grand jury in Montgomery County, Texas for Injury to a Child," Rusty Hardin, Peterson’s attorney, said in a statement Friday. "The charged conduct involves using a switch to spank his son. This indictment follows Adrian's full cooperation with authorities who have been looking into this matter. Adrian is a loving father who used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son. He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas."
A switch is known as a flexible rod or stick used for punishment.
Peterson had missed one day of practice on Aug. 21 as he was excused for personal reasons. He testified in front of a grand jury in Texas that day.
"Adrian has never hidden from what happened," Hardin said in the statement. "He has cooperated fully with authorities and voluntarily testified before the grand jury for several hours. Adrian will address the charges with the same respect and responsiveness he has brought to this inquiry from its beginning. It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury."
The grand jury reviewed the case and brought the indictment against Peterson on Sept. 11, according to Grant.
"The mental state that’s refelctive in the indictment is that he did so with criminal negligence, or recklessness," Grant said.
Follow Brian Hall on Twitter
