Peterson Trial Date Set as New Allegations Swirl

Adrian Peterson wanted a speedy trial, and on Wednesday he got his wish.

The star Minnesota Vikings running back is tentatively scheduled to stand trial on a charge of felony child abuse on December 1st of this year. The charges stem from an incident in which Peterson beat his son with a switch at their home near Houston, Texas.

Peterson has been on paid leave from the Vikings since Sept. 17, a few days after he was indicted. He has adamantly denied intentionally injuring his son and sought to have the case tried as quickly as possible in order to clear his name and return to the team this year.

While the trial date is tentatively set for December it is possible for Peterson to stand trial even sooner if other scheduled cases are taken off the docket. If convicted, Peterson could be sentenced to probation or anywhere from six months to two years in Texas state prison. He would also be subject to discipline from the league under its Personal Conduct Policy.

On Tuesday night, Peterson addressed an additional scandal that alleges the NFL star mismanaged funds from his charity to purchase a hotel room and more for personal use.  Peterson denies any wrongdoing and posted a series of text messages on Twitter to debunk the claim.