By Brian Murphy
St. Paul Pioneer Press
The Texas district attorney prosecuting Adrian Peterson on a child abuse charge asked a judge Thursday to revoke the Minnesota Vikings star’s bond and issue an arrest warrant after he admitted “smoking a little weed” during a drug test, according to court records.
Peterson has remained free after posting $15,000 bail after a grand jury near Houston indicted him Sept. 11 on a charge that he beat his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch in May.
If a judge grants Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon’s motion, Peterson could be jailed until trial.
Ligon accused Peterson of violating bond conditions barring him from using drugs after the running back admitted during a urinalysis to smoking marijuana, according to court documents.
Ligon’s motion was the second from prosecutors since Peterson was arraigned Wednesday morning. Soon afterward, Ligon filed a motion to have Judge Kelly Case recused from the case because he “continues to demonstrate an ongoing hostility to the law and the district attorney’s office.”
The spokeswoman for Peterson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said Thursday that the motion to revoke Peterson’s bond “can’t be heard until it’s decided whether Judge Case will be recused.”
“The hearing on the recusal is not set for tomorrow,” Mary Flood said in an email to the Pioneer Press, “but will likely be next week.
“Mr. Hardin said the motion to revoke Mr. Peterson’s bond will come up only when we know which judge will hear the case and then the defense will respond. In the meantime, Mr. Peterson remains free on bond.”
A Vikings spokesman said Thursday that the team would not comment until after the hearing on the recusal motion.
Peterson made his first court appearance Wednesday before Case, who tentatively set a Dec. 1 trial date.
A grand jury accused Peterson of going too far when he disciplined his son during a visit to his off-season home outside Houston.
Peterson acknowledged striking the boy in the same way his father punished him growing up in Texas, but he denied abusing the child. Peterson is preparing to defend his use of corporal punishment, which is allowed under Texas law.
The Vikings relegated Peterson to a rarely used NFL roster exemption that allows the team to pay his $691,176 weekly salary until his case is resolved.
Peterson wants a speedy trial in hopes of winning an acquittal before the NFL regular season ends Dec. 28.
Another pretrial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4.
The Pioneer Press is a media partner with Forum News Service.
