Vick Pleads Guilty

[Droid101]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2983121

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 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 the morning of Aug. 27.

Lead defense attorney Billy Martin said Vick reached an agreement with federal prosecutors after consulting with his family over the weekend.

"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."

Martin later told The Associated Press he could not divulge any specifics of the plea agreement or how much time Vick can expect to serve in prison. Prosecutors are seeking a prison term of 12 to 18 months.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action while the league conducts its own investigation. League sources tell ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Goodell will likely suspend Vick indefinitely and that a final decision on Vick's suspension will be made after his legal case is resolved.

"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 league said in a statement. The NFL added that it has asked the Falcons "to continue to refrain from taking action pending a decision by the commissioner."

The Falcons said they were "certainly troubled" by news of the plea but would withhold further comment in compliance with Goodell's request. If the league suspends Vick, the Falcons could then seek to recoup part of his signing bonus of approximately $22 million, because if suspended, then Vick would be in default of his contract, team officials tell ESPN's Sal Paolantonio.

Martin said salvaging Vick's NFL career was never part of the discussions.

"Football is not the most important thing in Michael Vick's life," he said. "He wants to get his life back on track."

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.

"I, like all people who know and care about Michael Vick, was very disappointed and saddened by the news," Frank Beamer, who coached Vick at Virginia Tech, said in a statement. "Although all the details are not known at this time, I am greatly concerned that Michael has put himself in this position."

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.

U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson said Vick is not scheduled to visit the courthouse before his hearing next week.

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.

In a telephone interview with the AP, 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. "He realized this is very serious, and he decided to plead so he can begin the healing process."

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.

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.

Meachum said the plea deal involves only the federal case. He said he doesn't know if there have been any discussions about resolving Virginia state charges that may be brought against Vick.

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.

About a dozen bright red Vick jerseys have been donated -- often accompanied by financial contributions -- to the Atlanta Humane Society since he was indicted last month. The shelter uses them for dog blankets, and to clean up after the animals.

"Kind of appropriate," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States.

In a statement issued Monday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called on the league to incorporate cruelty to animals into its personal conduct policy.

"This case has clearly shown that NFL fans are just as outraged by cruelty to animals as any of the other antisocial behaviors outlined in the policy," PETA's statement read.
Bolded the part I was unaware of.

I figured he was a rich dude, had a big house so he let dogfighting go on. As bad as that is, I didn't think he was actually a part of killing dogs, especially by such despicable means. I hope he has fun in prison.

[Pigs in Space]

Even I can't get away from this fucking story and I don't even live in your goddam country where people wear armour during sport that doesn't even have lances or swords.


Bloodyhell.

[TiQuinn]

I hope he has fun in prison.

For the whole damn year that he'll actually be in there. :rolleyes:

Best thing that could happen to this worthless sack of shit is for him to fall on a shiv a few times.

[Utrecht]

Even I can't get away from this fucking story and I don't even live in your goddam country where people wear armour during sport that doesn't even have lances or swords.


Bloodyhell.

Well it is a pretty big deal - up until last year, he was the "face" of the NFL.

Imagine if your star cricket player got caught with something like this - we would hear about it here (hell we heard about the national cricket coach who was killed in the last world cup)

[Pigs in Space]

I didn't realize he was a star.

I just thought he was some schmoe.

[BOZ]

nope, he's a big name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Vick

[Northcott]

The sad thing is, I don't think this bastard will ever get his just desserts. Edit: Or rather, not the ones I hope he gets.

[Glass]

The sad thing is, I don't think this bastard will ever get his just desserts. Edit: Or rather, not the ones I hope he gets.
Yeah, the fucking thug culture in prison might just welcome this piece of shit with open arms, although I'm hoping for a good solid ass-beating.

[doc]

He'll get probation

[Northcott]

Yeah, the fucking thug culture in prison might just welcome this piece of shit with open arms, although I'm hoping for a good solid ass-beating.

If he does any time at all, he'll probably be a celebrity in the clink. A few might hold a grudge, but his wealth, status, and physical condition will probably give him high standing. Remove the wealth and/or physical condition, and he'd probably be a target.

[Brynja]

So what you are saying is that this would be nothing like a women in prison movie?

[TiQuinn]

If he does any time at all, he'll probably be a celebrity in the clink. A few might hold a grudge, but his wealth, status, and physical condition will probably give him high standing. Remove the wealth and/or physical condition, and he'd probably be a target.

The big question is what happens to his NFL career. Vick and his lawyers reviewed the plea deal they were offered with an eye on how it would affect his career, and since they took it, I'm guessing he got some sort of message that he could make it back onto the field eventually. That would be the worst possible scenario, IMO.

[Space Cadet B^3]

Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye!

[doc]

So what you are saying is that this would be nothing like a women in prison movie?

Is anything in one of those like real life ?

[Pigs in Space]

The big question is what happens to his NFL career. Vick and his lawyers reviewed the plea deal they were offered with an eye on how it would affect his career, and since they took it, I'm guessing he got some sort of message that he could make it back onto the field eventually. That would be the worst possible scenario, IMO.

If he's a much of a gun as you guys say he is, then why wouldn't he play again when he's out of prison?

In the 80's, big, mean, tattoo'ed criminal mutherfucker types were a staple of a few Aussie Rules footy clubs.

Ok, yeah, collingwood.

[Droid101]

If he's a much of a gun as you guys say he is, then why wouldn't he play again when he's out of prison?

In the 80's, big, mean, tattoo'ed criminal mutherfucker types were a staple of a few Aussie Rules footy clubs.

Ok, yeah, collingwood.

The commissioner doesn't tolerate stuff like this anymore. We'll see what happens.

[doc]

He'll get probation

[Brynja]

Is anything in one of those like real life ?


From what I am told yes.

Hot prison sex is a staple.

[doc]

From what I am told yes.

Hot prison sex is a staple.

Crazy meth and crack hos does not make a good woman prison movie

[Space Cadet B^3]

Don't forget the toilet hooch.

[Pigs in Space]

Don't forget the toilet hooch.

The American Beer?

[Droid101]

The American Beer?

What's that I hear? A foreigner who is jealous of Sam Adams!

[Brynja]

Droid...seriously no comparison. American beer blows. Sam Adams IS good.

For an American beer.

[Droid101]

Droid...seriously no comparison. American beer blows. Sam Adams IS good.

For an American beer.

B...but...


Um...

Fosters sucks!!

[Northcott]

The big question is what happens to his NFL career. Vick and his lawyers reviewed the plea deal they were offered with an eye on how it would affect his career, and since they took it, I'm guessing he got some sort of message that he could make it back onto the field eventually. That would be the worst possible scenario, IMO.

I'm hoping he'll get booed off the field. I'm expecting that he'll be cheered by a large enough vocal minority, basing their 'morality' off of race rather than ethics, that he'll manage something of a comeback if he doesn't lose his edge. Much in the way that riots almost started over O.J. Simpson, or the way that Mike Tyson was practically borne about on people's shoulders after being convicted as a rapist.

Two things I'll never understand: the cult of celebrity and the justifications of racism.

[Space Cadet B^3]

I'm hoping he'll get booed off the field. I'm expecting that he'll be cheered by a large enough vocal minority, basing their 'morality' off of race rather than ethics, that he'll manage something of a comeback if he doesn't lose his edge. Much in the way that riots almost started over O.J. Simpson, or the way that Mike Tyson was practically borne about on people's shoulders after being convicted as a rapist.

Two things I'll never understand: the cult of celebrity and the justifications of racism.
Personally, I'm hoping for a lifetime ban because of the Federal gambling charges.

[Pigs in Space]

B...but...


Um...

Fosters sucks!!

That's cos it's not Australian!

Fosters is locally brewed where it's sold!

And noone in oz drinks that shit anyway.



(that said, I really like Sam Adams. Brewer. Patriot. Lush.)

[Space Cadet B^3]

Apparently Vick may also face State charges!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070822/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_vick_s_future_11

[Northcott]

Personally, I'm hoping for a lifetime ban because of the Federal gambling charges.

That would be sweet... but iirc, sporting organizations only hand out lifetime bans if you're caught betting on the sport you participate in.

[King Vyper]

That would be sweet... but iirc, sporting organizations only hand out lifetime bans if you're caught betting on the sport you participate in.


Not True, In the NFL if you are found quilty of illegal gambling or of assocating with people involved in illegal gambling you can get the lifetime ban.

[Northcott]

Not True, In the NFL if you are found quilty of illegal gambling or of assocating with people involved in illegal gambling you can get the lifetime ban.

Man, you just put a smile on my face. Thanks. :D

[Droid101]

Here's what Stephon Marbury had to say on the subject.

"We don't say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals, you know what I mean? From what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors and I think it's tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down ... I think he fell into a bad situation."
This actually got me thinking... I don't see a difference between killing dogs and killing deer.

I mean, unless you live in the boonies, and hunting is your only source of food, I can agree with it. But I don't think even 0.5% of the population of America is in a situation like that.

Anyway, just something to mull over.

[TiQuinn]

Here's what Stephon Marbury had to say on the subject.


This actually got me thinking... I don't see a difference between killing dogs and killing deer.

I mean, unless you live in the boonies, and hunting is your only source of food, I can agree with it. But I don't think even 0.5% of the population of America is in a situation like that.

Anyway, just something to mull over.

Hunters torture deers and other animals by forcing them to fight each other until one or the other dies and then if they don't perform quite well enough, they drown them?

Huh.

[Droid101]

Hunters torture deers and other animals by forcing them to fight each other until one or the other dies and then if they don't perform quite well enough, they drown them?

Huh.

No, but they do shoot them and cause them to die in sometimes horrible pain.

I didn't say they were definitely equal, but one of them is legal and smiled upon, and one is completely illegal.

[Space Cadet B^3]

Nothing about hunting animals and fighting them is the same... except for the animals part.

[Droid101]

Nothing about hunting animals and fighting them is the same... except for the animals part.

I wasn't really talking about the fighting part. I was talking about the part where he "killed underperforming dogs."

Anyway, I didn't make that clear in my original post, so I'm washing my hands of this. :)

[Northcott]

I wasn't really talking about the fighting part. I was talking about the part where he "killed underperforming dogs."

Anyway, I didn't make that clear in my original post, so I'm washing my hands of this. :)

2nd point: fair enough.


1st point: It still remains that the underperforming dogs were subjected to brutal treatment, and were being killed because they didn't respond the way he wanted to brutal treatment.



I've been out hunting. I don't know how inhumane others are about it, but the animal never suffered longer than was necessary with the guys I was out with. After it was taken down, Gerry would use the scope to put the fallen animal out with a clean shot.

[Brynja]

No, but they do shoot them and cause them to die in sometimes horrible pain.

I didn't say they were definitely equal, but one of them is legal and smiled upon, and one is completely illegal.



I saw this on the news today and his comments were retarded.

It isn't the same thing.

You kill a deer yes- but you eat it.

you dont send it into a ring let it brawl with other deer and then horribly kill and and toss it in a river or something.

Marbury in my opinion was doing the "stand behind a brotha" thing.

[mollygrue]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070822/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_vick_dogs
according to todays fark headlines, vicks dogs are going to be executed.

side bar on my part--sister breeds and loves dogs. some dogs are born defective and must be euthanized. quickly and painlessly. that is not how vick and his associates were terminating the underperfoming animals lives.

[Brynja]

The poor dogs need to be put down. They cannot possibly be socialized into any homes without danger to others. It is a shame :(

[Keeper of Secrets]

It is a decent possibility that because of his celebrity status he could be targeted in prison. Or, if you were like me and had him on your Fantasy Football team once and had him fuck your team, you may wish to target him. I am cool with either option.

[shabois]

That dude fucked me in the fantasy playoffs last year. I lost a game by 2 points because that fucker can't pass worth shit. There is a small possibility in 3 years that some team will take a flyer on him, but not at QB. He will be a WR/RB at best.

[PWD]

No, but they do shoot them and cause them to die in sometimes horrible pain.

Not if they do it right.

[NRG]

Not if they do it right.

The same goes for euthanizing the tens of thousands of dogs that are put down each year, right?

That said, Vick should go to prison for this. He clearly committed at least one felony. As for whether he should play football again, well, we have convicted murderers playing the game. We have people convicted of domestic abuse of human beings playing the game. If someone will hire him, I see no reason why he won't be back in football at some point.

That said, a player who relies on his speed and is approaching 30 years of age will not be well served by spending at least two years out of football and at least one year away from his training routine. (One year is the minimum recommended sentence for what he pled to, and the judge he is facing is not known to be lenient. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has levied an additional year on top of whatever time Vick spends in prison, thus two years.)

NRG

[PWD]

The same goes for euthanizing the tens of thousands of dogs that are put down each year, right?

What are you angling at? Is your implication that as an animal lover and rabid Vick persecutionist (if that's not a word yet, it should be) I cannot be both a hunter and a supporter of humane euthanization?

[doc]

n suspending Vick, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell opened the way for the Falcons to attempt to recover $22 million of their star's signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004. Still say the fucker will walk

[Droid101]

Vick finds Jebus!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2992890

Michael Vick pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge in a dogfighting case. Then he apologized publicly. "What I did was very immature. That means I need to grow up. I totally ask for forgiveness."

[PWD]

Vick finds Jebus!

Jebus says "Put me down for 5 bills on the brindle, Vick"

[Northcott]

Michael Vick pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge in a dogfighting case. Then he apologized publicly. "What I did was very indicitive of sociopathy. That means I need to be monitored closely, and some might say 'be put down'. I totally ask for a pass, and promise I won't ever, ever do it again. At least not in a way that'll get me caught."

Fixed.

[shabois]

I am all for apologies, but can people stop using sweet baby Jesus as a PR tool?

[TiQuinn]

I am all for apologies, but can people stop using sweet baby Jesus as a PR tool?

Finding God is the ultimate get out of jail free card nowadays because nobody has the balls to actually question whether somebody has actually "found God" through their problems. The media and several churches would likely come down on anyone who did.

Next: Childhood trauma. I'm sure Vick's hoooooooooooooooooorrible childhood will be brought up as part of the reason he did what he did. :rolleyes:

[Space Cadet B^3]

Finding God is the ultimate get out of jail free card Works about as well as "going to rehab"

[NRG]

What are you angling at? Is your implication that as an animal lover and rabid Vick persecutionist (if that's not a word yet, it should be) I cannot be both a hunter and a supporter of humane euthanization?

You can definitely be all of the above, provided there is such a thing as a persecutionist. ;)

What I'm saying is that I'm not entirely convinced that the hunting deaths of animals are necessarily all that humane, and that the relevant distinction here may have more to do with pointless deaths than with the humane nature of the deaths.

NRG

[PWD]

What I'm saying is that I'm not entirely convinced that the hunting deaths of animals are necessarily all that humane, and that the relevant distinction here may have more to do with pointless deaths than with the humane nature of the deaths.

Gotcha. We'll have to quibble over pointless another day. As for the humane death... shock is pretty humane when it comes right down to it, and if a hunter does his job right, the animal is either instantly dead, or in shock and thus not suffering while it passes. That process in my experience usually lasts less than a minute, during which time the animal lays there completely stunned and out of it.

A shitty hunter that tags a deer's hindquarters, breaks a leg, hits them with a neck shot or whatever... yeah, that animal is gonna suffer needlessly (and shame on the hunter - you'd best believe he's gonna catch shit from his real hunter buddies), but a good hunter shooting into the kill box is gonna drop the animal right where it stands, no fuss no muss.

[Droid101]

A shitty hunter that tags a deer's hindquarters, breaks a leg, hits them with a neck shot or whatever... yeah, that animal is gonna suffer needlessly (and shame on the hunter - you'd best believe he's gonna catch shit from his real hunter buddies), but a good hunter shooting into the kill box is gonna drop the animal right where it stands, no fuss no muss.

Catching shit from your buddies and getting jail time are two different things.

[PWD]

Catching shit from your buddies and getting jail time are two different things.

You know what? Intentionally torturing animals to death because they didn't perform well in your illegal bloodsport is also rather different than a dumbass going out and hunting poorly.

Just so we're clear.

[Droid101]

You know what? Intentionally torturing animals to death because they didn't perform well in your illegal bloodsport is also rather different than a dumbass going out and hunting poorly.

Just so we're clear.

I wonder what the difference in pain and suffering there is from being drowned compared to being shot through the neck, for an animal.

[PWD]

I wonder what the difference in pain and suffering there is from being drowned compared to being shot through the neck, for an animal.

Drowning's generally considered one of the worst deaths you can experience. Being shot through the neck entails either an instant death, shock, or bleeding out. There's no comparison. Even if there were, comparing the intended torture and execution after being made to fight in bloody biting and tearing battles to a bare minority of poor hunters isn't exactly kosher.

[Droid101]

Drowning's generally considered one of the worst deaths you can experience. Being shot through the neck entails either an instant death, shock, or bleeding out. There's no comparison. Even if there were, comparing the intended torture and execution after being made to fight in bloody biting and tearing battles to a bare minority of poor hunters isn't exactly kosher.

Well, not every hunter is a professional. Everyone has a first time.

Although this is probably a topic for another thread (this thread is for badmouthing Michael Vick), I'm not really down with hunting personally, unless its your only source of food.

[PWD]

I'm not really down with hunting personally, unless its your only source of food.

That's fine as your choice, but ethically being perfectly fine with someone else killing your meal for you versus doing it the honor of getting up, getting out in the bush, outsmarting it and killing it yourself is a weak position to argue from.

Obviously we simply can't go hunt all our own meals in today's world, but doing it when you can is good for the soul.

[Schizm]

I personally feel that hunting is a far more ethical means of obtaining meat than just buying a cheeseburger.

The animal (be it deer, elk, whatever) lived free and was killed quickly. The cow was herded around some former rainforest land until it was lined up with thousands of other cows, herded into a big building that smelled of shit and blood and piss and death, and then killed.

[PWD]

Further to that thought, it's a hell of a lot easier talking yourself into eating 4 mammoth cheeseburgers when someone else did all the messy work for you offstage somewhere, versus when you had to get up and work for your meal directly.

Hunting your own meals teaches restraint. Lord knows I could use more of it.

[Hastur T. Fannon]

Finding God is the ultimate get out of jail free card nowadays because nobody has the balls to actually question whether somebody has actually "found God" through their problems.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the thread, but there was a song that we used to sing a lot at church which has a chorus containing the line "I've found Jesus".

I don't believe it's been played since I threated to change the next line to "Behind the sofa" and sing it very loudly indeed

[mollygrue]

This has absolutely nothing to do with the thread, but there was a song that we used to sing a lot at church which has a chorus containing the line "I've found Jesus".

I don't believe it's been played since I threated to change the next line to "Behind the sofa" and sing it very loudly indeed
? did you realize, when saying that, that there is a country song which features jesus hiding behind the sofa to comfort a frightened little girl who is there because parents have just killed one another in a drunken rage?

ok--back to vick.

have been avoiding covereage of him because he pisses me off. in reading javas blog at coffeehousepoetry.net i found out he admits to training his dogs for visciousness by giving them kittens.

i knew he was rotton, but i wasnt aware that he had sunk to that level.

there is a great deal of clandestine dog fighting in the flint area; its a nasty business. my daughter, being MY daughter, upon hearing her then coworkers one day discuss the progress of a new dog in training, and learning that they were using a kitten, left work early that day, went their house, enterered the premises in a mmmmm-- highly irregular manner-- and--borrowed-- the cat. she also went and got a new job.


i rescue kittys. i have had up to twelve at a time in my care. i tried, very hard to salvage this one. i couldnt save her. she recovered physically but not mentally/emotionally and eventually had to be euthanized. she was too traumatized to function.

i have some very ugly thoughts for vick, and they involve a cheese grater and his testicles.

[Hastur T. Fannon]

? did you realize, when saying that, that there is a country song which features jesus hiding behind the sofa to comfort a frightened little girl who is there because parents have just killed one another in a drunken rage?

I didn't, but the genre that spawned "Drop-kick me Jesus, though the goal-posts of life" is capable of anything

[BOZ]

I am all for apologies, but can people stop using sweet baby Jesus as a PR tool?

only if the pope does it first!