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Adrian Peterson of Vikings cleared of resisting arrest charge

It took a mere 25 minutes in front of a grand jury for Adrian Peterson's legal issues to go away.

Peterson traveled to Houston on Monday, met with a grand jury Tuesday, and when he left, the Minnesota Vikings running back had his wish: The resisting arrest charge against him was set to be dismissed.

Peterson's Houston-based lawyer, Rusty Hardin of Rusty Hardin & Associated LLP, said the grand jury found no probable cause and that the official motion to dismiss will be filed Wednesday.

"But that's just a technicality to get it off the docket," Hardin told NFL.com and NFL Network. "It's over."

Peterson, who is a native Texan, was charged by Houston police with resisting arrest in July after an early morning incident outside a club. An officer alleged that Peterson "assumed an aggressive stance" and refused to leave the premises. Peterson strongly refuted the account.

"We always said he didn't act out, he didn't push the officer," Hardin said. "They had six officers working that night; two acted out of line. We thought when a group of citizens heard it all, we were confident he'd be found not guilty."

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In all, five witnesses -- Peterson, three club employees and one of the two officers involved -- were called during the 2½-hour proceedings. Peterson spoke for 25 minutes. Because of Texas law, Hardin wasn't present for the grand jury, which meant -- as he said -- "Peterson went in naked."

"That's a measure of how confident he was," Hardin said. "He was willing to go in without a lawyer and expose himself to any question with nobody there to object."

With his case behind him, Peterson has the option to file a lawsuit for defamation or false arrest. The statute of limitations is two years. Hardin said not only is Peterson undecided on if he'll pursue legal action, he won't consider it until February.

"He's got a football season now," said Hardin, a Texans fan. "I was messing with him. I said, I hope the Texans see him again, he runs for 200 yards and loses. (Laughs) But he was a hell of a gentleman."

The Vikings have a bye this week.

Follow Ian Rapoport on Twitter @rapsheet

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