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Peterson to play again Sunday

Vikings reinstate star RB, face scrutiny
Spielman

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings cast responsibility on the legal system to determine how far a parent may go in disciplining a child, and they defended their decision to reinstate star running back Adrian Peterson, who was indicted last week in Texas.

In a heated media conference Monday, general manager Rick Spielman said Peterson “deserves to play” while the legal process plays out, and not because the Vikings offense was in shambles with the 2012 NFL MVP inactive for Sunday’s 30-7 loss to New England.

“It has nothing to do with him as a football player,” Spielman said. “It has to do purely on the facts that have been presented to us.”

Peterson, 29, faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if found guilty on the charge he injured his 4-year-old son by spanking him with a tree branch. His arraignment was scheduled for Wednesday but has been delayed until Oct. 8 because his attorney, Rusty Hardin, is abroad.

Peterson was back at Vikings headquarters Monday but didn’t address reporters or teammates, instead he released a statement through his agent in which he emphasized he didn’t intend to harm his son by disciplining him the same way Peterson was punished growing up.

“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 the statement.

“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.”

Peterson’s statement also said he has met with a psychologist, who let him know “there are other alternative ways of disciplining a child that may be more appropriate,” but it did not go into detail about the allegations against him and evidence thereof.

Photos surfaced Friday allegedly showing the boy’s injuries, which Spielman admitted “are disturbing. I understand that. ... But we also think it is right for (Peterson) to go through the process legally.”

So, after a weekend to re-evaluate and gather information, the team says Peterson will practice this week and play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints – unlike several other Vikings players who have run into serious legal issues in recent years.

Cornerback Chris Cook was inactive for the last 10 games of the 2011 season while he faced two felony domestic assault charges. He was reinstated only after being acquitted by a jury. The Vikings released running back Caleb King in May 2012 days after he was arrested for assault, and cornerback A.J. Jefferson within hours of his arrest for domestic assault.

©USA TODAY 2014. All rights reserved.



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