Minnesota Viking’s player Adrian Peterson has been convicted of child abuse after turning himself into the Montgomery police department two days after the alleged accident. “In the eyes of a Texas grand jury, Peterson crossed the line when he repeatedly struck his son with a tree branch, or switch, in May,” the Associated Press reported. He was quickly released after posting a $15,000 bail, according to the Montgomery Sheriff’s Office.Peterson was not allowed to play in the Vikings game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, September 14th. He will be on a six week suspension without pay, and, if convicted, “more severe discipline will be imposed” according to Commissioner Roger Goodell.“I am not a perfect son. I am not a perfect husband. I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser,” Peterson said in a statement released Monday, September 15. “I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury. “No one can understand the hurt that I feel for my son and for the harm I caused him. My goal is always to teach my son right from wrong and that's what I tried to do that day. “I accept the fact that people feel very strongly about this issue and what they think about my conduct. Regardless of what others think, however, I love my son very much and I will continue to try to become a better father and person,” Peterson continued to say. Peterson is charged with causing injury to a child age 14 or younger, according to Montgomery County Prosecutor, Phil Grant. If found guilty, Peterson will face up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine."Obviously, parents are entitled to discipline their children as they see fit, except when that discipline exceeds what the community would say is reasonable," Grant said shortly after Peterson was released from jail. With Ray Rice’s case of domestic violence earlier this summer and Peterson’s recent indictment, a national debate has been sparked concerning domestic and child violence. Fellow athletes have taken to Twitter to voice their own opinions. Former NBA star Tracy McGrady tweeted, “Am I the only one that got hit with a switch? I had to go outside and pick my own switch. It taught values, respect (and) accountability.” McGrady later added, “Disciplining a child is vital. Of course any early physical punishment should be within reason, not overboard, and inside certain boundaries.” “I think that discipline is different for everyone. If the parents think that spanking their child will teach them a lesson then so be it, just as long as there is no harm to the children, like marks, and it’s not continuous,” Makayla Maggert, a sophomore in psychology from Georgia, stated.“The threat of being spanked is more of what was a deterrent for me when I was a kid… When you start actually hitting your kids with objects that are causing bruises and open wounds- (it) definitely crosses a line,” Peterson’s fan, Andy Chadwick, 39, of Henderson, Minnesota told AP.
Writer: Emily Halls ~ Multimedia Journalist
