Vikings RB Adrian Peterson Indicted On Child Abuse Charge, Out Sunday Against Patriots
LOS ANGELES (AP/CBSLA.com) - The attorney for Adrian Peterson says the Minnesota Vikings star running back has been indicted by a Texas grand jury on a charge of child abuse.
Attorney Rusty Hardin says the charge in Montgomery County accused Peterson of using a branch, or switch, to spank his son. He says Peterson has cooperated with authorities and "used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son."
He says Peterson regrets the incident and never intended to harm the boy.
The allegations come during a week in which the NFL has been under heavy scrutiny for the way it handled a domestic abuse case involving former Ravens running back Ray Rice and his then-fiancee. Peterson has rushed for 10,190 yards and 86 touchdowns in eight seasons.
"They [NFL] are scrambling," said Los Angeles based Sports Attorney Jeffrey Lenkov. "They have to have chaos. They had the worst week in Goodell's ten. There is a whole a group of people out there that believe type of punishment, even if severe, is necessary to build character."
Moments after the report, Minnesota deactivated Peterson for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.
In a separate incident in 2013, Peterson's 2-year-old son was killed by the mother's boyfriend in an alleged beating.
The game will be broadcasted on CBS2 at 10AM.
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