EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Antonio Pierce didn't know New York Giants teammate Plaxico Burress was carrying a gun last weekend until it accidentally discharged, injuring the receiver in the right thigh, Pierce's attorney said Thursday.
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"He had no idea Plaxico had a weapon," attorney Michael Bachner said Thursday in a telephone interview with the Associated Press.
Bachner said Pierce would cooperate with authorities and testify before a Manhattan grand jury about the incident if asked to testify, which has yet to happen. Whether Pierce goes before the grand jury is up to the District Attorney's office.
Pierce refused to discuss the shooting and its aftermath after practice on Thursday. But he insisted he won't be distracted when he plays against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday as the Giants try to clinch the NFC East division.
"This Sunday is no different from last Sunday," said Pierce, who came into the media room right after practice in a sweat-soaked gray pullover. "When I get on the football field my focus is winning the game, first and foremost, doing my job and helping my team win. That's what I plan on doing on Sunday."
Although Pierce did take Burress to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center as instructed by a Giants trainer, he did not try to cover it up by registering Burress under a false name, Bachner said.
"Other than bringing him to the hospital, he had no involvement in the administration process," Bachner said.
Bachner said he could not comment on a report that Pierce took Burress' gun to his home and later gave it back to Burress' wife, Tiffany. Authorities are trying to determine whether Pierce tried to cover up the shooting. Police say Pierce returned to New Jersey with Burress' gun in the glove compartment of his SUV, which has been impounded by investigators.
Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said the team alerted NFL security about the Saturday morning shooting at a Manhattan nightclub, and left it to the league to alert police. The NFL said its security department then did contact police, but police say the NFL was not forthcoming about the shooting.
Police still want to interview the people at the hospital who treated Burress and did not report the shooting, as required by law. Burress is believed to have used an alias, but the hospital must report a gunshot wound regardless of whether they know the identification of the person.
Burress has been charged with illegal weapons possession, a felony that requires a mandatory minimum 3 1/2 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted.
The Giants have fined and suspended Burress for four games, the rest of the regular season. The team also placed him on the reserve non-football injury list, which means he won't be back for the playoffs.
The NFL Players Association, however, said in a statement that it was reviewing the Giants' actions and planned to file a grievance, saying Burress' collective bargaining rights were violated.
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