Michael Vick Indicted

[NU fan in Denver]

Sounds like his brothas are gonna rat him out. No loyalty these days.

[AR Husker Fan]

Grand jury set to convene in Vick case

By Associated Press

Sun Aug 19, 6:13 PM

 

 

RICHMOND, Va. - A grand jury is scheduled to convene Monday in the federal court where Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three co-defendants were indicted on dogfighting charges last month.

 

There's no indication whether the grand jury will take up further allegations against Vick, although federal prosecutors have said they plan to seek a superseding indictment in the case.

 

That would mean more charges against Vick, the lone defendant who has not been convicted now that all three of his co-defendants have reached plea deals.

 

Vick's attorneys were negotiating with federal prosecutors last week, hoping to strike a deal on a plea agreement.

 

``It seems to be a pretty clear indication there will be some sort of plea entered,'' Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Friday.

 

Prosecutors have declined to comment outside court on negotiations with Vick's attorneys. Collins Spencer III, a spokesman for Vick's defense team, said Sunday there was nothing new to report.

 

Vick's last two co-defendants pleaded guilty Friday and said he bankrolled gambling on dogfights at Vick's property in rural Surry County, not far from his hometown of Newport News. One said Vick helped drown or hang dogs that didn't do well.

 

Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach entered plea agreements and agreed to testify against Vick. Tony Taylor of Hampton struck a similar deal last month.

 

The gambling allegations alone could trigger a lifetime ban under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

 

The NFL has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action while the league conducts its own investigation.

 

Peace, Phillips and Taylor pleaded guilty to the same charges facing Vick: conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.

 

The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 

Sentencings are set for November and December.

[NU fan in Denver]

Fox sports

 

Looks like he is going to accept a plea deal. It'll be interesting of his sentencing and the suspension he will face from the NFL.

[dbetz23]

My guess is 16 months in jail, then AFTER that no more NFL for Vick!!

[AR Husker Fan]

Lawyer: Vick agrees to plead guilty

By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer

2 hours ago

 

 

RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick's lawyer said Monday the NFL star will plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, putting the Atlanta Falcons quarterback's career in jeopardy and leaving him subject to a possible prison term.

 

The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although federal sentencing guidelines most likely would call for less. Vick's plea hearing is Aug. 27.

 

``After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding the charges pending against him,'' lead defense attorney Billy Martin said in a statement.

 

``Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made. Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter.''

 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action while the league conducts its own investigation.

 

Vick is charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. He had pleaded not guilty last month and vowed to clear his name at a November trial.

 

Martin's announcement came as a grand jury that could add new charges met in private. Prosecutors had said that a superseding indictment was in the works, but Vick's plea most likely means he will not face additional charges.

 

Three of Vick's original co-defendants already have pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against him if the case went to trial. Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach signed statements saying the 27-year-old quarterback participated in executing at least eight underperforming dogs by various means, including drowning and hanging.

 

Phillips, Peace and Tony Taylor, who pleaded guilty last month, also said Vick provided virtually all of the gambling and operating funds for his ``Bad Newz Kennels'' operation in rural Virginia, not far from Vick's hometown of Newport News.

 

The gambling allegations alone could trigger a lifetime ban under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

 

The case began April 25 when investigators conducting a drug search at a massive home Vick built in Surry County found 66 dogs, some of them injured, and items typically used in dogfighting. They included a ``rape stand'' that holds aggressive dogs in place for mating and a ``breakstick'' used to pry open a dog's mouth.

 

Vick contended he knew nothing about a dogfighting operation at the home, where one of his cousins lived, and said he rarely visited. The former Virginia Tech star also blamed friends and family members for taking advantage of his generosity and pledged to be more scrupulous.

 

The July 17 indictment said dogs that lost fights or fared poorly in test fights were sometimes executed by hanging, electrocution or other brutal means. The grisly details fueled public protests against Vick and cost him some of his lucrative endorsement deals.

[AR Husker Fan]

Vick to Plead Guilty in Dogfighting Case

By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer

5 hours ago

 

 

RICHMOND, Va. - Less than a month after saying he looked forward to clearing his name, Michael Vick now acknowledges the heinous acts associated with his name are true.

 

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback said through a lawyer Monday that he will plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, an admission that likely will mean prison time.

 

For now, any hopes of salvaging his NFL career are secondary to his impending confinement.

 

"His focus is on his family, his focus is on answering to this judge," Vick's lead defense attorney, Billy Martin, told The Associated Press after announcing the plea agreement Monday.

 

U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson can sentence Vick to up to five years in prison and fine him $250,000, although federal sentencing guidelines will call for less. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the terms are not final, told the AP that prosecutors will recommend a sentence of a year to 18 months.

 

The official said such a sentence would be more than what is usually recommended for first-time offenders, reflecting the government's attempt to show that animal abusers will receive more than a slap on the wrist.

 

Vick will return Monday to the same courthouse where he pleaded not guilty and resolved to prove his innocence just 25 days ago. This time he will plead guilty, and Hudson will schedule a date for sentencing.

 

Since that initial court appearance, all three of Vick's co-defendants have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate in the government's case against him, including testifying against him if the case had gone to trial in November as scheduled.

 

The co-defendants said Vick bankrolled virtually the entire "Bad Newz Kennels" operation in rural southeastern Virginia, including providing gambling funds, an act that could trigger a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's personal conduct policy.

 

Two of them also said Vick participated in the brutal executions of at least eight underperforming dogs.

 

Facing those allegations and the prospect of a superseding indictment from a new grand jury that began meeting Monday, Vick opted to change his plea.

 

"Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made," Martin said in a statement. "Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter."

 

The NFL noted in a statement that Vick's admission wasn't in line with what he told commissioner Roger Goodell shortly after being charged.

 

"We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons," the NFL said.

 

The league, which barred Vick from training camp, said it has asked the Falcons to withhold further action while the NFL's own investigation wraps up.

 

The Falcons said they were "certainly troubled" by news of the plea, but would withhold further comment in compliance with Goodell's request.

 

Vick's Atlanta attorney, Daniel Meachum, told the AP that Vick is taking a chance with his guilty plea as far as his career is concerned because there have been no discussions with the league in recent days.

 

"There's no promise or even a request of the league to make a promise," Meachum said.

 

Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, said in a statement:

 

"We believe the criminal conduct to which Mr. Vick has pled guilty today cannot be condoned under any circumstances. Speaking personally, as I have previously stated, the practice of dog fighting is offensive and completely unacceptable. I can only hope that Mr. Vick, who is young man, will learn from this awful experience."

 

Martin said Vick is paying a high price for allowing old friends to influence his behavior, but he emphasized that his client takes full responsibility.

 

"There were some judgment issues in terms of people he was associating with," Martin said in a telephone interview. "He realized this is very serious, and he decided to plead so he can begin the healing process."

 

Another defense attorney, James D. "Butch" Williams Jr., alluded to the harsh public backlash against Vick since the July 17 indictment detailed the abuse of dogs on Vick's property in Surry County, Va.

 

"Michael is a father, he's a son, he's a human being; people oftentimes forget that," he said.

 

Animal-rights activists said they hoped the high-profile case would increase public awareness and help bring down other dogfighting rings.

 

"The only good that can come from this case is that the American people dedicate themselves to the task of rooting out dogfighting in every infected area where it thrives," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States.

 

Quanis Phillips of Atlanta, Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach and Tony Taylor of Hampton have pleaded guilty to the same charges facing Vick: conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. Phillips and Peace will be sentenced Nov. 30, Taylor on Dec. 14.

 

The case began April 25 when investigators conducting a drug search at a massive home Vick built in Surry County found 66 dogs, some of them injured, and items typically used in dogfighting. They included a "rape stand" that holds aggressive dogs in place for mating and a "breakstick" used to pry open a dog's mouth.

 

Vick contended he knew nothing about a dogfighting operation at the home, where one of his cousins lived, and said he rarely visited. The former Virginia Tech star also blamed friends and family members for taking advantage of his generosity and pledged to be more scrupulous.

 

The July 17 indictment said dogs that lost fights or fared poorly in test fights were sometimes executed by hanging, electrocution or other brutal means. The grisly details fueled public protests against Vick and cost him some of his lucrative endorsement deals.

[AR Husker Fan]

Goodell Likely to Delay Decision on Vick

By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer

1 hour ago

 

 

NEW YORK - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is likely to hold off on making an immediate decision on how to discipline Michael Vick.

 

Goodell could rule by the end of the week, but will probably wait until the Atlanta Falcons quarterback enters a guilty plea Monday to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges.

 

The NFL has said it wants information on Vick's involvement in dogfighting and is waiting for a report by its own observers, a group headed by Eric Holder a former deputy U.S. attorney general.

 

"The commissioner has not decided on a specific timetable on Michael Vick's status," league spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday.

 

Vick has been barred from training camp by the NFL. Goodell has asked the Falcons not to take any action until the league rules.

 

Goodell has leeway to issue a suspension under his personal conduct policy. While the NFL hasn't said whether a potential suspension would be concurrent with Vick's prison sentence _ expected to be at least a year _ it is more likely that it would take effect once he is released from custody.

 

That would mean Vick would likely miss both the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

 

Atlanta owner Arthur Blank, who has expressed his dismay at Vick's actions, may try to release him. Or the Falcons could keep him on the roster while attempting to get back some or all of his $22 million signing bonus.

 

The league suspension could be indefinite or conditional. The penalty Goodell imposed on Tennessee's Adam "Pacman" Jones was a one-year suspension, with the possibility of having it reduced to 10 games if he met certain behavioral standards.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

But he's Superman! Oh well.....

[AR Husker Fan]

If you haven't guessed, I'm lovin' every minute of this...

 

Vick could still face state charges

By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer

Wed Aug 22, 1:13 AM

 

 

RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick now must wait and worry.

 

Already looking at a possible five years in prison on federal dogfighting charges, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback also could be facing prosecution in Virginia.

 

Then there is the NFL where commissioner Roger Goodell has yet to determine what punishment Vick will face from the league.

 

Local prosecutor Gerald Poindexter has said he likely will pursue charges against Vick, who has plummeted from favorite son to a symbol of animal abuse in the four months since authorities raided his Surry County property.

 

Poindexter did not return messages left by The Associated Press at his office, his cell phone and at his home Tuesday.

 

Among the state laws Vick could be charged with violating are those against dogfighting and animal cruelty. Both are felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.

 

``The real question is how much overlap there would be between anything the local prosecutor would charge and what the federal prosecutors charged,'' said Linda Malone, a criminal procedure expert and Marshall-Wythe Foundation professor of law at the College of William and Mary. ``There are some limitations on duplication.''

 

Vick said through a lawyer Monday that he will plead guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. Malone said the state dogfighting charges probably would not be considered duplicative.

 

``The essence of the conspiracy charge is the agreement'' between Vick and his coconspirators, Malone said.

 

Three Vick associates have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and said Vick provided virtually all the gambling and operating funds for the ``Bad Newz Kennels'' dogfighting enterprise. Two of them also said Vick participated in executing at least eight underperforming dogs, raising the possibility of the animal cruelty charges.

 

Convictions on eight animal cruelty counts could result in up to 40 years in prison if five-year terms for each count was imposed to run consecutively, but that's seldom done. Each dogfighting count could run the sentence even higher.

 

Vick also was facing the possibility of additional federal charges from a new grand jury meeting this week in Richmond, but his deal with prosecutors means that's now highly unlikely.

 

The 27-year-old player will enter his plea agreement Monday. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the terms are not final, told The Associated Press prosecutors will recommend a sentence of one year to 18 months. However, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson is not bound by that recommendation or by federal sentencing guidelines that will call for less than the five-year maximum.

 

James D. ``Butch'' Williams Jr., one of Vick's five defense attorneys, said his client is fully aware he could be facing a long stretch in prison.

 

``Michael's been fully apprised of all angles, all aspects,'' Williams said.

 

It's still unclear whether all this will end the career of one of the NFL's most dazzling players.

 

The league is waiting for a report by its own observers, a group headed by Eric Holder, a former deputy U.S. attorney general.

 

``The commissioner has not decided on a specific timetable on Michael Vick's status,'' league spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday.

 

Vick has been barred from training camp by the NFL, and Goodell has asked the Falcons not to take any action until the league rules.

 

Goodell can suspend Vick under the NFL's personal conduct policy. While the league hasn't said whether a potential suspension would be concurrent with Vick's prison sentence, it probably would take effect once he is released from custody.

 

That means Vick likely would miss both the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

 

The Falcons in 2004 signed Vick to a 10-year, $130 million contract, at the time, one of the largest in NFL history. The bonus and guaranteed money he received in his contract totaled $44 million, and the team might try to reclaim part of that.

 

Vick has also lost lucrative contracts with sponsors. Rawlings, Nike, Reebok and Upper Deck are among the companies that have either ended contracts with him or stopped sales of his merchandise.

[Nicole]

I despise Michael Vick after this.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I hope he gets ass raped in prison by a guy nicknamed "pitbull" now!!!!!

[admo]

Damn that Ron Mexico!

 

I personally cant stand Pitbull fighting. And the torture crap they did (electrocute, drowning, hanging, etc) to those dogs is sick and disgusting.

[AR Husker Fan]

Vick files plea admitting to dogfighting

By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer

4 hours ago

 

 

RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick filed his plea agreement in federal court Friday admitting to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and helping kill pit bulls. He denied ever betting on the fights, only bankrolling them.

 

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback is scheduled to formally enter his plea Monday in U.S. District Court. He signed the plea agreement Thursday.

 

``Most of the Bad Newz Kennels operation and gambling monies were provided by Vick,'' a summary of facts in the case said, echoing language in plea agreements by three co-defendants who previously pleaded guilty.

 

The statement said that when the kennel's dogs won, the gambling proceeds were generally shared by Vick's three co-defendants - Tony Taylor, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips.

 

``Vick did not gamble by placing side bets on any of the fights. Vick did not receive any of the proceeds of the purses that were won by Bad Newz Kennels,'' the summary said.

 

According to the statement, Vick also was involved with the others in killing six to eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions last April. The dogs were executed by drowning or hanging.

 

``Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts'' of Vick and two of the co-defendants, Phillips and Peace, the statement said.

 

In the plea agreement, the government committed to recommending a sentence on the low end of the federal sentencing guideline range of a year to 18 months. However, the conspiracy charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, and the judge is not bound by any recommendation or by the sentencing guidelines.

 

U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, who will accept Vick's plea, has a reputation for imposing stiff sentences, according to lawyers who have appeared in his court. Vick will not be sentenced for several months.

 

``Our position has been that we are going to try to help Judge Hudson understand all the facts and Michael's role,'' Vick's lead defense attorney, Billy Martin, said in telephone interview. ``Michael's role was different than others associated with this incident.''

 

Martin said Vick will ``speak to the public and explain his actions,'' but he declined to say whether that will occur in court or in a news conference after Monday's hearing.

 

The U.S. attorney's office, which has declined to comment on the case, said it would issue a statement after the hearing.

 

The case began in April when authorities conducting a drug investigation of Vick's cousin raided the former Virginia Tech star's Surry County property and found dozens of dogs, some injured, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting.

 

A federal indictment issued in July charged Vick, Peace, Phillips and Taylor with an interstate dogfighting conspiracy. Vick initially denied any involvement, and all four men pleaded innocent.

 

Taylor was the first to change his plea to guilty, saying Vick financed the dogfighting ring's gambling and operations. Peace and Phillips soon followed, disclosing that Vick joined them in killing dogs that did not perform well in test fights.

 

The sickening details outlined in the indictment and other court papers prompted a public backlash against Vick, who had been one of the NFL's most popular players.

 

Vick was barred from the Falcons training camp, but neither the NFL nor the team have taken further action.