Judge refuses to recuse himself in Adrian Peterson child abuse case
A Texas judge refused to recuse himself in the felony child abuse case of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
Prosecutors wanted Judge Kelly Case, who sits on the Montgomery County 9th District Court, removed because of bias claims in the case. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on whether to remove Case, but it may be rescheduled because Peterson’s lead attorney, Rusty Hardin, is scheduled to be out of town.
Case was forced to apologize to attorneys after calling them "media whores" when Peterson made his first appearance in the courtroom last week. Case said he meant the comment as a joke.
Peterson also formally plead not guilty to charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child after authorities said he hit his 4-year-old son with a switch. He made the plea on Oct. 8, but it was not made public until Monday.
Peterson, 29, faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted on the charges. He has said he did not intend to injure the child.
Prosecutors have asked the court to have Peterson arrested for violating the terms of his bail after he allegedly told a drug tester that he had smoked marijuana.
Peterson has been freed on a $15,000 bond and a trial has tentatively been set to start Dec. 1, but it can begin sooner depending on the court's docket.
Peterson has been on the NFL's exempt/commissioner's permission list since last month, and he is receiving his full $11.75 million salary. He is barred from all team activities until his case is resolved.
- Scooby Axson
