Prosecutors seek recusal of judge in Adrian Peterson case

By Mihir Zaveri | October 8, 2014 |

Photo By Billy Smith II / Houston Chronicle

NFL star Adrian Peterson is scheduled to appear in a Houston-area courtroom Wednesday morning to answer charges that his disciplining of his 4-year-old son last May amounted to child abuse.

A spokeswoman for Peterson's lawyer says the Minnesota Vikings running back plans to enter a 'not guilty' plea in a Montgomery County courtoom in Conroe to a charge of reckless or negligent injury to a child. His indictment on the charge stems from an incident last May in which he used a 'switch,' or thin tree branch, to discipline his son at his home in The Woodlands.

A crowd of about two dozen reporters and cameramen gathered outside the courthouse early Wednesday morning in anticipation of Peterson's appearance. However, a court official said the case load is heavy, and Peterson is listed 46th on the docket.

No official trial date has been set, but if the case is not resolved quickly - and prosecutors have said it could take nine months to come to trial - Peterson would miss the rest of the 2014 football season.

Peterson continues to collect his full $11.7 million annual salary while sitting out the games after being placed by the team on the NFL's exempt/commissioner's permission list in September.

The East Texas native and 2012 league MVP has issued a written statement since his indictment in which he says he never intended to harm his son and was disciplining him as his parents did him.

If convicted, Peterson could face a maximum of two years in prison, though as a first-time offender he might be placed on probation.

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