Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will reportedly plead not guilty to a charge of child abuse ahead of his first court appearance on Wednesday.
Peterson has been charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child which results from an incident where he used a small tree branch to discipline his son earlier this year.
"If the court asks for a plea tomorrow [and we do expect that to happen], it will very definitely be NOT guilty," the spokesperson for Peterson's attorney wrote in a letter to ESPN.
The Vikings star has been on the NFL's exempt/commissioner's permission list since September 27 and is barred from all team activities until his case is resolved.
If Peterson is convicted, he could face six months to two years in state prison or he could be placed on probation as a first-time offender.
