Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson beat his 4-year-old son with a tree branch - or “switch” as it is commonly known Adrian Peterson Ray Rice NFL Roger Goodell Baltimore Ravens Johnathan Dwyer Arizona Cardinals Brandon Marshall Chicago Bears - resulting in injuries to the child’s back, buttocks, ankles, legs and scrotum, along with defensive wounds to the child’s hands. Adrian Peterson Arrested For Beating Son In Texas – Minnesota Vikings Celeb (CNN) -- NFL star Adrian Peterson turned himself in to authorities early Saturday in east Texas, one day after news broke that Peterson had in the local prosecutor's view hurt his child "with criminal negligence or recklessly" under the guise of discipline. Shortly after reporting to authorities, Peterson posted $15,000 bail and was released, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. That $15,000 likely won't make much of a dent on Peterson's checkbook. He agreed to a lucrative contract in 2011 with the Minnesota Vikings, which numerous publications, including NFL.com, reported would be worth $100 million (including $36 million guaranteed) over a 7-year period. Still, the charge he faces has already impacted Peterson negatively: He won't play Sunday, at least, after the Vikings deactivated him for their game with the New England Patriots. And the NFL said it was reviewing the incident under league's personal conduct policy. Peterson hasn't spoken publicly since a grand jury indicted him on a felony charge of child abuse. But his lawyer has, saying that Peterson used "a switch to spank his son" in doling out discipline much like "he experienced as a child growing up in East Texas."
"(Peterson) will continue to insist on his innocence of any intended wrongdoing," the attorney, Rusty Hardin, said Friday. On Saturday, Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Phil Grant -- whose office made the case against Peterson to the grand jury over a period of weeks -- said prosecutors "will take this charge extremely seriously and we look forward to presenting this case to a jury." According to Texas law, a person can be convicted of injury to a child if they are proven to have caused bodily or mental injury "intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence" or causing such harm by omission. The crime is punishable by up to two years in a state jail and a $1,000 fine. In Texas, someone can defend himself against a charge of injury to a child if they can prove it happened while they were administering "reasonable discipline," Grant said. But that's not what prosecutors think happened in Peterson's case. 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," the district attorney said. "And so, a grand jury, having indicted this case, looked at the injuries that were inflicted upon this child and determined that that discipline was not reasonable." NFL fallout News of Peterson's indictment rocked the NFL. Part of it has to do with the fact that Peterson has long been one of the league's most popular and successful players. His best campaign was in 2012, when the Palestine, Texas, born player earned Most Valuable Player honors after rushing for 2,097 yards, just nine yards short of the single-season mark. The historic 2012 campaign came after a potentially career-ending knee injury. Peterson's 2-year-old son was found unresponsive last year in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and later died of what authorities said were injuries consistent with abuse. Joseph Robert Patterson, the boyfriend of the boy's mother, has been charged with murder in that case The felony injury to a child charge also comes at a tough time for the NFL generally because of the Ray Rice case. NFL Star Adrian Peterson Charged and Indicted For Child Abuse A warrant was issued Friday for the arrest of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson after a grand jury in Texas indicted him for reckless
