Summary: NFL star running back Adrian Peterson is scheduled to go on trial beginning on December 1, but it could be pushed back if the judge faces a recusal.
Adrian Peterson, the running back for the Minnesota Vikings, will tentatively head to trial on December 1, according to a report from CNN. The trial centers around a felony child abuse charge. The date of the trial could be pushed back if a judge in Texas has to recuse himself for calling attorneys “media whores.”
Peterson is not permitted to contact his son until the trial is complete. The judge did not set any parameters for any of Peterson’s other children.
Peterson made a court appearance on Wednesday with his wife, family members and his legal team. Rusty Hardin, one of Peterson’s attorneys, took part in a serious discussion with Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon for 30 minutes prior to heading up to the bench in the courtroom.
After the court hearing, a spokeswoman for Hardin said, “I don’t think the judge ever asked for a plea. As we said yesterday, if the judge asks, Peterson will plead not guilty.”
It is not known when Peterson will enter a plea in the case, but a recusal hearing is scheduled for early November at the 9th District Court in front of Judge Kelly Case.
The discussion of a recusal came about after Ligon approached the bench with Hardin and said to Case, “It’s come to my attention that on October 2 you referred to Mr. Hardin as a whore.”
“I’m sorry?” Case said.
“… Mr. Hardin as a whore, specifically a media whore. And you also called me a whore or a media whore,” Ligon said, prior to asking for an apology.
“Yeah, that was meant as a humorous joke,” Case said, “and unfortunately humor is sometimes taken the wrong way.”
Ligon noted that the comment could prejudice the case and be construed as “biased toward the state of Texas.”
“Yes. Of course. I apologize to both of you,” the judge responded. “That’s not how I feel about any of you. I think you’re doing a great job, and I’ve known Mr. Hardin for 25 years.”
Hardin said, “Just for the record, I didn’t take offense to it. I’ve been called much worse.”
Image credit: Psych Central