NEW YORK -- Plaxico Burress of the New York Giants arrived at a New York police station early Monday morning, where he was expected to be charged after accidentally shooting himself in the right thigh. The receiver arrived in a black Cadillac Escalade wearing jeans and a black coat. Burress, who was not visibly limping, did not speak to the media and walked directly into the precinct.
Burress' lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press Sunday that he was advised the player planned to plead not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon.
"I do not expect that Mr. Burress will make a statement," Brafman wrote.
He met with Burress for about an hour Sunday at the player's home in New Jersey.
"I would ask that his fans, the Giants and the media withhold judgment in this matter until all of the facts have been disclosed," Brafman wrote to the AP.
Brafman is a well-known criminal lawyer who has defended mobsters and other high-profile figures, including hip-hop impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs on a bribery and gun possession charge in 2001.
Burress shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub Friday night and was released from a hospital early Saturday, the Giants said.
"As far as we know, he's going to be OK," general manager Jerry Reese said Sunday before the Super Bowl champions' 23-7 victory at the Washington Redskins.
Burress had already been ruled out of the game by the Giants on Friday because of a hamstring injury.
New York police and NFL security are investigating what happened Friday night. Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was interviewed by NFL security at the team's hotel Saturday, Reese said.
The NFL wouldn't comment on the expected charge, Burress' plan to plead not guilty or the league's investigation.
"We are cooperating with the police and continuing to monitor the situation," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.
Pierce -- who started against Washington -- reportedly was present for the latest dramatic turn in a tumultuous season of fines and suspension for Burress.
"Antonio is working on trying to beat the Redskins right now," Reese said before kickoff. "That's where his focus is and where it should be right now."
Pierce deflected several questions after the game. He wouldn't say whether he has a lawyer and when asked if he is concerned about his own situation, Pierce replied only: "No. I'm fine where I'm at."
"I am not answering any questions about the incident that happened Friday night," the linebacker said. "If you have anything to say about the Washington Redskins, this game and moving forward, I'll answer it. Anything else, I'm not answering."
Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he spoke to his players about Burress' situation but wouldn't get into specifics.
"We all are upset about what happened with Plaxico, and hopefully he's going to be fine and so on and so forth. That's our first concern," Coughlin said. "Once that was taken care of, we knew that he was OK, then the guys got right back to focusing on the reason we were here."
Coughlin wouldn't address Burress' future with the Giants, saying only, "Questions of that nature will be discussed going forward, I'm sure."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
