While former New York Giants wideout Plaxico Burress has received forgiveness for the person he shot in the leg in a New York City nightclub–himself. Now his legal team is trying to win forgiveness from the state for Michigan State product.

The statistics demonstrate the laws of New York aren’t always evenly applied. Burress was charged with second-degree gun possession, which requires a minimum of 3½ years in jail. Yet prosecutors in your state, Mr. Paterson, commonly drop the charges to third-degree possession, which doesn’t carry a minimum prison sentence.

This discretion, as several media reports and legal analysts have stated, allows prosecutors far too much leeway in deciding who is worthy of a reduced charge and who is not. –Mike Freeman.

It’s helps Plaxico’s cause that New York state governor David Paterson is incredibly unpopular right now, and wouldn’t lose much in terms of public support if he were to give Burress a pass. But screw that. Everyone seems irritated that Plaxico seems to have been held to a higher standard in this case. That’s a convenient mindset since Plaxico was also his own victim. If he had handled his firearm a little less poorly–say, aimed at another patron in the club–I doubt those sympathies would exist. Besides, he should do at least six months for wearing sweatpants to a club.