since radimus started it i thought i would follow suit
apparently Georgia Tech is in discussion with Vick about becoming the new head coach, since unlike Chan Galley Vick actually knows a thing or two about beating dawgs.
A prosecutor in southeastern Virginia who is investigating dogfighting allegations against Michael Vick said yesterday he plans to seek additional state charges against the Atlanta Falcons quarterback and his three co-defendants, but is first awaiting the results of Vick's scheduled guilty plea Monday in federal court.
"My intention is to vindicate the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the people of Surry County based on what we believe happened in Surry County," said Gerald G. Poindexter, the commonwealth's attorney in the rural jurisdiction near Vick's home town of Newport News. He said the case "likely will be presented" to a local grand jury on Sept. 25, the next time it meets.
Poindexter said it is "pretty obvious" that violations of Virginia law occurred in the operations of "Bad Newz Kennels," the dogfighting operation allegedly based at a Vick-owned property in Smithfield, Va. Noting that Vick's co-defendants have pleaded guilty to federal charges, he said: "They have admitted dogfighting. That's a state crime. They have admitted killing animals. That's a state crime, and a very serious one."
But Poindexter also said in a telephone interview that Vick "has not made those admissions yet" and has not appeared before a judge. Before going forward with state charges, Poindexter added, he must also retrieve other evidence and witness statements that are in the hands of federal authorities. "I'm not going to make promises that I can't fulfill," he said.
A state indictment would be another potential legal blow to Vick, who also faces a possible NFL suspension. He is expected to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell before Goodell decides what punishment the league will impose, sources familiar with the case said yesterday, adding that the meeting hadn't been scheduled yet. A guilty plea by Vick would put him in violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy, which empowers Goodell to fine, suspend or impose a lifetime ban on a player.
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Looks like he is hedging his bets... He knows the State's Attorney will be up next and doesn't want to admit to anything that will be held against him in the next prosecution...
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dog fights, as detailed in his indictment, when he enters a guilty plea in a Richmond, Va., federal court Monday, a source close to the case has told ESPN. Instead, the one count of conspiracy that Vick will plead to will admit guilt to the charge of interstate commerce for the purpose of dogfighting.
The source told ESPN that Vick's defense team met with federal attorneys Thursday afternoon to determine the "summary of facts" to which Vick will plead, and that his attorneys believed they had a deal. The source said Vick maintains he never killed dogs and never gambled on a dog fight.
He will admit he was present when dogs were killed, but that he did not personally kill any of the dogs.
The allegations of killing dogs and gambling were part of the picture painted by Vick's three co-defendants, all of whom have pleaded guilty.
Vick, 27, is scheduled to enter his plea agreement Monday and could face up to five years in prison.
Vick's co-defendants said Vick provided virtually all the gambling and operating funds for the Bad Newz Kennels enterprise. Two of them also said Vick participated in executing at least eight dogs seen as underperforming by various means, including drowning and hanging.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the terms are not final, told The Associated Press Wednesday that 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.
It's still unclear whether all this will end the career of one of the NFL's most dazzling players.
Vick has been barred from training camp by the NFL, and commissioner Roger 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 could 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.
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On Friday, Vick filed his plea agreement in federal court admitting to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and agreeing that the enterprise included killing pit bulls and gambling. He denied making side bets on the fights, but admitted to bankrolling them.
Friday afternoon, a letter to Vick from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, in part:
"Your admitted conduct was not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible" and regardless whether he personally placed bets, "your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player."
Goodell freed the Falcons to "assert any claims or remedies" to recover $22 million of Vick's signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004.
The commissioner didn't speak to Vick but based his decision on the court filings. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Goodell may meet with Vick in the future, and Goodell said he would review the suspension after all the legal proceedings.
"You have engaged in conduct detrimental to the welfare of the NFL and have violated the league's personal conduct policy," Goodell told Vick in a letter after meeting in New York with Falcons president and general manager Rich McKay.
"You are now justifiably facing consequences for the decisions you made and the conduct in which you engaged. Your career, freedom and public standing are now in the most serious jeopardy," Goodell wrote. "I hope that you will be able to learn from this difficult experience and emerge from it better prepared to act responsibly and to make the kinds of choices that are expected of a conscientious and law abiding citizen."
Falcons owner Arthur Blank supported Goodell's decision and said:
"We hope that Michael will use this time, not only to further address his legal matters, but to take positive steps to improve his personal life."
Nike, meantime, said it terminated its contract with Vick.
In disciplining Vick, Goodell said he will "review the status of your suspension following the conclusion of the legal proceedings. As part of that review, I will take into account a number of factors, including the resolution of any other charges that may be brought against you, whether in Surry County, Virginia, or other jurisdictions, your conduct going forward, the specifics of the sentence imposed by Judge Hudson and any related findings he might make, and the extent to which you are truthful and cooperative with law enforcement and league staff who are investigating these matters."
"I have advised the Falcons that, with my decision today, they are no longer prohibited from acting and are now free to assert any claims or remedies available to them under the Collective Bargaining Agreement or your NFL Player Contract."
The grisly 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.
Animal-rights groups mobilized against Vick -- even protesting at NFL headquarters in New York -- and sponsors dropped him.
"It is fitting that the NFL has suspended him,'' said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "He's now a role model for something terrible, and it's not appropriate that he suit up in an NFL uniform."
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The plea by the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback was accepted by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, who asked: "Are you entering the plea of guilty to a conspiracy charge because you are in fact guilty?"
Vick replied, "Yes, sir."
Hudson emphasized during the 15-minute hearing he is not bound by sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of prosecutors and can impose the maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. Prosecutors proposed a 12- to 18-month prison term.
"You're taking your chances here. You'll have to live with whatever decision I make," Hudson.
Vick's lead attorney, Billy Martin, said his client would discuss his plea at a news conference.
"A first-time offender might well receive no jail time for this offense," U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said in a statement. "We thought, however, that the conduct in this conspiracy was heinous, cruel and inhumane" so three of the four defendants, including Vick, should receive harsher sentences.
The first defendant to plead guilty left the conspiracy in 2004 and is not as culpable, he said.
In his written plea filed in federal court Friday, Vick admitted helping kill six to eight pit bulls and supplying money for gambling on the fights. He said he did not personally place any bets or share in any winnings.
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There is an article on MSNBC that summed it up well for me.
Quote:
It is often said by Vick’s defenders that he made a mistake and should be forgiven. But he didn’t make a mistake.
A mistake is an error caused by poor judgment, carelessness or insufficient knowledge. If the postman drops off a package at the wrong address, that’s a mistake. If a person has a couple of beers, makes the unfortunate decision to get behind the wheel and then gets into an accident, that’s a mistake. Human beings can understand when other human beings make mistakes, because we’re all flawed.
What Vick did was not a mistake. It was premeditated. It was plan that was cooked up shortly after he signed his first pro contract. It was a sustained pattern of criminal activity over a period of roughly five years.
This wasn’t a “Gee, maybe we shouldn’t be doing this” situation. This was completely intentional from the start.
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams
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"A first-time offender might well receive no jail time for this offense," U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said in a statement. "We thought, however, that the conduct in this conspiracy was heinous, cruel and inhumane" so three of the four defendants, including Vick, should receive harsher sentences.
I'll be very suprised if he doesn't get any jail time from the federal charges. There is still a very good chance that he will be charged by the State for the killings of the dogs. If he doesn't get any time from the Feds, the State will really stick it to him, assuming he can be successfully prosecuted under state laws.
Quote:
"I’m upset with myself, and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God. And I think that’s the right thing to do as of right now." - Michael Vick
The right thing to do right now? What about after all this is settled and over? Amazing how they all seem to find God when they're in a bind.
A urine sample submitted by Michael Vick has tested positive for marijuana, and as a result he'll have tighter restrictions on his freedom.
The test was taken on Sept. 13. Because of the positive test, federal court probation officer Patricia Locket-Ross, who is assigned to Vick, asked Judge Henry Hudson to place special conditions on Vick's release, which include refraining from use or unlawful possession of a narcotic drug or other controlled substance.
He may also be banned from carrying water bottles on airplanes, if he wasn't under home confinement :)
ATLANTA -- Already under indictment on federal and state charges related to dogfighting activities, embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is being sued by a Canadian bank which claims he is in default on a $2.5 million line of credit he received in January.
The Royal Bank of Canada, which conducts business in the United States as RBC Centura, has filed suit in U.S. District Court in Newport News, Va., seeking payment on a promissory note Vick obtained for what he told the bank were real estate investments.
The NFL star, scheduled for sentencing Dec. 10 after pleading guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, faces state charges of beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging in or promoting dogfighting. Each felony is punishable by up to five years in prison. Arraignments are set for Oct. 3.
The grand jury declined to indict the 27-year-old Vick and two co-defendants on eight additional counts of killing or causing to be killed a companion animal, felonies that would have exposed them to as many as 40 years in prison if convicted.
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While I agree he should be punished for his crime, it S/B no more than any other individual who committed the same crime. Dog fighting has been going on for a long time. People have been caught and punished. He should get no more or less than they did.
The NFL? Unfortunately, they're all about money. When he gets done with all this and the NFL thinks he can make money for them, he'll be back. Like it or lump it.
Michael Vick files for bankruptcy protection
By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM – 1 hour ago
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick filed for bankruptcy protection while serving time for federal dogfighting charges, saying he owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors.
Vick filed Chapter 11 papers in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newport News on Monday. The seven largest creditors listed in the court papers are owed a total of about $12.8 million.
Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., after pleading guilty last year to bankrolling a dogfighting ring. He was subsequently suspended indefinitely without pay and lost all his major sponsors, including Nike. He also faces state charges related to dogfighting.
The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback "will seek to rebuild his life and career" upon his release, according to the filings.
The debt includes part of a signing bonus that the Falcons are seeking to recover.
After the plea on dogfighting charges, the Falcons tried to recover about $20 million in bonuses Vick earned from 2004 to 2007. But a federal judge held that Vick is entitled to keep all but $3.75 million of the money paid to him for playing football through the 2014 season.
According to the filings, Vick's other debts include $4.5 million owed to Richmond-based Joel Enterprises Inc., and $550,0000 owed to Radtke Sports Inc. for breach of contract.
In May, a federal judge ordered Vick to repay about $2.5 million to a Canadian bank for defaulting on a loan. The Royal Bank of Canada had sued Vick in September, arguing his guilty plea to a federal dogfighting charge — and the resulting impact on his career — prevented him from repaying the loan.
A default judgment for $1.08 million also was entered in January against Vick and a business partner in a lawsuit brought by Wachovia Bank over a loan for an Atlanta-area wine shop and restaurant.
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