Small town, big lawyer: Rusty Hardin gives Adrian Peterson major edge

CONROE, Texas — Here in the land of barbecue joints, strip malls and Tea Party politics, attorney Rusty Hardin is getting ready to do what he does best — ride to the rescue of another famous athlete. He’s got another tricky case. His client, NFL running back Adrian Peterson, has been accused of felony child abuse.

But it’s arguably the perfect kind of place for Hardin to make his case — convincing a jury in a familiar locale that Peterson is not guilty. “I love going into these suburban or smaller counties out around Texas,” Hardin told USA TODAY Sports. “Everything is so civil, you know? The people are nice. It’s where I grew up. Conroe is bigger than the town I grew up in, but it’s very similar.”
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