American Football: Burress gets two years for gun crime

(AP)

The former Super Bowl star Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing a gun at a nightclub yesterday.

The one time New York Giants wide receiver tearfully said goodbye to his family as he began his sentence for attempted criminal possession of a weapon after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh.

Burress was indicted on two counts of weapon possession and one count of reckless endangerment and pleaded guilty last month. He had faced a minimum sentence of three-and-a-half years if convicted at trial but pleaded to the lesser charge and agreed to the two-year term. With time off for good behaviour, it is likely Burress will serve 20 months.

The Giants released Burress in April, but the 32-year-old has said he hopes to resume his NFL career when he completes his sentence.

Burress was so softly spoken during his apologetic courtroom address that witnesses could not hear him properly. Defence lawyer Benjamin Brafton said, "This is a very real tragic case in many, many ways." He called Burress "a fundamentally decent man".