The NYPD first found out about Plaxico Burress’ bone-headed accidental self-shooting with an illegal handgun by watching television reports more than 12 hours after it happened, Mayor Bloomberg revealed this morning during a scathing press conference following a front-page story in The Post about the cover up effort.
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Bloomberg tackled the Burress case head-on at the briefing, demanding that the district attorney throw the book at the Giants receiver and that he serve hard time, saying heads should roll at the elite hospital where sources told The Post workers lied for him, and reveal any shady dealings involved with the star’s gunshot wound.
A sporty-looking Burress was arraigned this afternoon on a felony weapons charge and immediately posted $100,000 bail. He faces a minimum of 3 1/2 years in prison if convicted.
His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, waived his client’s right to a speedy trial, “so we can conclude our respective investigations.”
Burress, wearing jeans and a black sport coat over a white button down shirt, did not answer any questions before and after the hearing.
Earlier, Bloomberg lashed out at the way the aftermath of the Latin Quarter nightclub shooting was handled.
“The police only found out about this because of a story on television. The hospital didn’t call and the Giants didn’t call,” he said. “The Giants should have picked up the phone right away as good corporate citizens. I don’t care if there’s a legal responsibility for them to do it.
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“They are a team that is here in this region – I know they’re in New Jersey but it’s the New York Giants – and they have a responsibility as a team that depends on the public and wants to be a role model for the public.
“So the police certainly didn’t have any knowledge in advance and once they found out about it they right away went after it.”
Bloomberg had tough words for New York-Presbyterian Hospital, which never alerted authorities – as required by law – that it had a gunshot victim.
“I think it is also an outrage the hospital didn’t do what they’re legally required to do,” the mayor said. “It’s a misdemeanor. It’s a chargeable offense.”
The Post reported this morning that hospital workers – duped into thinking Burress was shot at an Applebee’s and likely a bit star-struck – agreed to help him cover up his bone-headed blunder.
“I think that the district attorney should certainly go after the management of this hospital. The lame excuse that they didn’t know – this is a world class hospital in a city where we all know what goes on in the streets of our city and we all should be working together to get guns off our streets.
“There’s a reason why hospitals are required by law to immediately call the police department. They didn’t and they should make sure that they people who didn’t no longer work there and I would question why the management didn’t have training in place and didn’t discipline them immediately.
“It’s just an outrage.”
Burress surrendered to police at 8:45 a.m. today, a day after a .40 caliber Glock was taken from his Totowa, N.J., mansion. He was arraigned this afternoon on a felony weapons charge and his bail was set at $100,000, which he posted immediately.
Bloomberg said anything short of at least the 3 1/2-year minimum for felony gun possession would be “a sham, a mockery of the law.”
“Our children are getting killed with guns in the street. Our police are getting killed…That’s why the state legislature passed the automatic sentence if you get caught with an illegal gun.
“I think it would be an outrage if we didn’t prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, particularly people who live in the public domain … If we didn’t prosecute to the fullest extent, then I don’t know who on earth you would.
“It’s pretty hard to argue the guy didn’t have a gun that it wasn’t loaded. You’ve got bullet holes in and out to show it.”
Burress bore no visible limp from the gunshot that tore clean through it right thigh as he walked into the 17th Precinct. He did not answer any questioned shouted by the media pack.
“Plaxico is a serious professional athtlete in a difficult legal situation, and he intends to handle it in a responsible fashion,” said Brafman, who is famous for getting P. Diddy aquitted of a 1999 weapons charge.
When asked how he thought this situation would play out, Brafman said, “I’ve stopped trying to predict outcomes. I hope if plays out well, and he can continue his career.”
Conviction on the charge could result in at least 3 1/2 years in prison.
“He is standing tall. He is a mature adult,” said Brafman. “I think any professional athlete in this situation would be concerned.”
Brafman refused to respond to media reports about an alleged coverup, other than to say: “I think a lot of what’s been in the press is not accurate.”
Additional reporting by Kavita Mokha