ALBANY, N.Y. – New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce says he has no regrets about his actions in helping Plaxico Burress after his former teammate accidentally shot himself in the leg last November.
Speaking a day after a Manhattan grand jury decided not to indict him on charges of carrying Burress’ unlicensed firearm in the aftermath of the shooting at a nightclub, Pierce said Tuesday he acted reasonably, responsibly and instinctively in coming to the aid of his wounded teammate.
Pierce declined to discuss any details of the incident in an interview that lasted a little more than three minutes at the Giants training camp at the University at Albany.
The grand jury indicted Burress on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment. He faces a minimum prison sentence of 3 1/2 years if convicted.
“I am not sorry for how I acted that night. I am not sorry for how I responded,” Pierce said of the Nov. 29 shooting at the Latin Quarter nightclub, two days before the Giants had a game against the Washington Redskins. “I am sorry for putting myself in position that I had to respond the way I had to respond. There (are) a lot of lessons I learned from this. I take them to heart and I take them seriously, obviously. It has been a lot of ups and downs.”
Pierce said the last nine months have been trying and that he was extremely relieved when the grand jury returned no true bill against him.
There also was a hint of bitterness toward Robert Morgenthau when he was asked whether he was surprised that the Manhattan district attorney pressed for charges against him in recent weeks.
“I leave that between me and the D.A.,” Pierce said.
Pierce was glad that the grand jury heard the facts “from his lips” when he testified last Thursday and Friday.
“I thought I acted very reasonably and responsibly and instinctively to a teammate that was at need, and that was my concern that night, to get him help,” Pierce said.
Pierce thought he conveyed that to the grand jury.
“When I was there for that long, I was sure they were listening very well because I was there for a long period of time,” Pierce said. “You know what, I just let the action take course. The people of New York obviously heard what I had to say. They heard all the witnesses and from everyone involved in that night and they made a decision.”
While he wasn’t overly pressed, Pierce twice refused to give details about helping Burress.
“I am tried of seeing myself on the TV and hearing my name on the TV,” Pierce said. “It is time to talk about the New York Giants and the 2009 season. Anything that happened in 2008 is irrelevant at this point. I don’t have nothing to say about that incident and that season because I have to move forward like our team does and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Pierce thanked his teammates and the Giants organization for its support.
“It’s a lot easier when you are on that green field with the boys,” he said. “Obviously, coming back up to Albany and getting ready for the 2009 season, that’s what I have been looking forward to and that’s what they have been looking forward to.”
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