Tammy Bruce: Vick Will Plead Guilty to Federal Dog Fighting Charges

Vick Will Plead Guilty to Federal Dog Fighting Charges

I coulda been a contender

Happy Pit

Apparently he also thinks his football career can be saved. He's wrong.

Falcons quarterback Michael Vick will plead guilty this afternoon to dogfighting charges.

"After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick has asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding charges pending against him," Vick's attorney, Billy Martin, said in a statement released shortly after 2 p.m. "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." [Would that include the dogs he tortured to death?--ed.]

Vick's plea hearing will be Aug. 27, Martin said.

The terms of Vick's sentence were unknown, but reports indicate it could be a sentence of between 18 and 36 months in federal prison. It could mean the end of Vick's career. If he serves 3 years, he wouldn't be out of jail until he's 30. And he has yet to face punishment from the NFL, which has restricted him from attending Falcons camp but has not issued any additional penalties.

And these details from the AP:

Falcons' Vick to Plead Guilty to Charges

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.

The ASPCA responds, as does the Humane Society.

Related Posts:

Here's the list of all the posts I've made so far on this outrage.

Posted by Tammy · August 20, 2007 12:57 PM · Permalink
Animal Issues | Celebrity | Crime | Death of Right and Wrong

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An ode to irony... how appropriate that Vick's jersey number will in fact be retired -- to wipe dog asses:

"At Atlanta shelter, Vick jerseys are going to the dogs"
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AmHejnlgwl2mwconZ3KQvQLsYNAF?slug=ap-vickjerseys&prov=ap&type=lgns

Posted by: jeweytunes at August 20, 2007 01:50 PM

I just signed up. I don't know what they stand for politically...but I'm giving them $100.00 per month of my money! I'm totally disgusted by Vick and his "homy's"... And the NFL can "shove it"!!!

Posted by: ussjimmycarter at August 20, 2007 02:58 PM

great entrepreneurial idea for someone. Plastic poopie pick up bags colored red with a No. 7 on them

Posted by: lnbee at August 20, 2007 03:02 PM

My first of all thoughts on this: remember, this is just between Vick and the feds. Whatever happens, let the State of Georgia have at him, and as many other states as could conceivably be involved.

Posted by: Dave J at August 20, 2007 03:38 PM

I will never be satisfied that justice will be done in this case. I hope he never touches a football again and I will except nothing less than expulsion from the NFL. IN fact so much that this house is not buying the NFL package until this scum is out. The NFL only knows dollar signs and it is time to speak with them.

I hope that the guard dogs in prison give Vick the justice he deserves.

Posted by: Trinity at August 20, 2007 04:57 PM

Wow. Read most of both articles. Those were the nicest articles I've read on the Vick case, and I mean nice to Vick. No outrage, no condemnation. They could have been lauding his arrest for jaywalking by the tone of the articles.

I would think that at least one of these organizations would be a little ticked off at Vick. Evidently not.

I would also think that they would wait to see his sentencing before congratulating the legal system. Is this one of those "move along folks, nothing to see here" type deals?

Really just found the lack of anger (or any other emotion) a little unsettling. Tammy had more outrage in one sentence than those orgs managed in two press releases. Very odd. Anybody else find this strange? Or did I miss something?

Posted by: Ron S. at August 20, 2007 05:04 PM

I love most sports- and NFL football is second only to college football as a favorite.

But if Vick isn't banned for life from the NFL soon... the NFL will be dead to me.

Much like the losers of his dog fights.

Actually not, they'll just lose a HUGE majority of their fan base and eventually their league. Big difference.

NFL... avoid the rush... BAN VICK NOW!!!

Posted by: AmeriDan at August 20, 2007 05:29 PM

What is really sad and telling concerning the culture meltdown in this country is that there are people out there who are still defending this thug. On ESPN Radio today, a former Falcons player classified this as a good kid doing something wrong, just like everyone else, and that the people out to get him finally did so. In other words, sending a dog into a ring to fight, hanging it after it did not do so well, and then drowning it after it failed to die from the hanging is simply doing something wrong like the rest of us?

Posted by: Gettysburg at August 20, 2007 08:49 PM

"Vick accepts full responsibility for his actions" does not jibe with the "apology" to "everyone who has been hurt by this matter." If Vick truly accepted responsibility, he would apologize to everyone whom HE has hurt.

Posted by: predoc at August 21, 2007 06:40 AM

You are right, Ron S. Those press releases must have been written by eunuchs.
Anything less than 10 years in the slammer for Vic out of this plea deal is nothing more than Gonzales kissing Vic's butt. Now that would be something for those moron Democrat Congressthings to investigate.
And what about the Atlanta Falcons? The deserve to be slapped across the side of the head with a two-by-four as well for their dithering around waiting for the NFL to take action. How about losing their top five draft positions next year?
The NFL has put up with slimy, vicious criminal activity from its players for too long. Its about time the Commissioner started showing some balls and throwing the miscreants out of professional football, starting now, with Vic.

Posted by: St. Thor at August 21, 2007 07:11 AM

There's a famous quote out there that goes something like 'judge a man by the way he treats animals'. If that's the case, then Vick is the lowest form of scum on the face of the Earth.

I almost regret that he was able to work out a deal, even if it does mean jail time. I would have loved to see this thug be made an example of and have the book thrown at him...

Also lost in all of this is the fact that this is just a by-product of the so-called "gangsta" lifestyle. There was a report locally in New York not too long ago that showed dogfighting to be common among the gangsta circles (images of suggested dogfighting appear in several rap videos), in addition to general thuggery and referring to women as "hos". Nice.

Posted by: PeteRFNY at August 21, 2007 08:06 AM

I wouldn't count on the Falcons or the NFL to act to swiftly on this.

As stated on ESPN this morning the Falcons probably won't release Vick (if they do) until June. The Falcons would take a less salary cap hit if they wait. $$$$$$$$$$$

Posted by: gritster at August 21, 2007 09:23 AM

The story of Michael Vick is fascinating in a number of ways. At this point in the story what amazes me is the reaction by so many, even his attorneys, that he is just "a good kid who got into a bad situation," or that the lesson here is how the influence of people from Vick's past ruined him. Sophisticated, educated people are spouting this! They act like Vick was some passive, innocent victim, who was held down and FORCED to write checks to support criminal activity. Or that someone held a gun at his head and MADE him train dogs (a form of torture), bet on dogfighting (gambling and racketeering) and hang, drown or electrocute dogs. These people are incapable of putting themselves into the event of killing an animal, the horrific sight, sound, smell, touch and taste of KILLING an animal by hand, of breeding an animal from a puppy only to meet this horrific end. Additionally, in all of the stories in re: Vick, almost no one mentions the fact that people who abuse animals have been accurately profiled as people who abuse people. They refer to this event as a "mistake." It is more than a mistake. It is an event that illuminates the killer aspect in Mike Vick's personality. If he is a victim of anything, it is his very own killer nature, which has killed animals, is now killing him, and quite obviously, is capable of killing anything in its path. I think he will need longer than a year in prison to reflect on and diminish this aspect of his personality. It is clearly a powerful and evil force.

Posted by: NavajoSierra at August 21, 2007 09:49 AM

Al Rantel had the PURRRFECT punishment last night. Spread ALPO on his privates and let the dogs have a FEAST!!!

Vick's behavior is just plain and simple. Cruel, demented & heartless. He is a "GOOD" athlete, but the essence of him is "BAD". No innocent person can tolerate the cries and screams of pain & suffering. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!

Posted by: DEM because I say so.. at August 21, 2007 10:56 AM

If the NFL is stupid enough not to expel Vick, if he serves even one year in prison, he will be in no condition to play pro-football when he gets out.

Yes, he will probably get special protection and more privileges. But even if he’s allowed 2 hours a day in the weight room, he will not have access to the strength trainers, speed coaches, nutritionists, and professional practices he has now. He will be eating prison food and will not have his special athlete diet and supplements. He will be restricted from any prison team sports, since his life would be in danger on a prison field. He will lose all of the heat-conditioning he has built over the years.

In the meantime, thousands of talented men will try out for the NFL this year. A year off is devastating to the body of someone who relies on their physicality for a living. By the time Vicki gets out, they’ll be saying “Michael who?”

Posted by: ashleymatt at August 21, 2007 11:18 AM

Great points, Ash. Actually, we were already beginning to say "Micheal When?", as season after season he continues to disappoint us by his failures to fulfill his athletic talent and to mature into a man, much less the leader he is required to be. So his going out with a fitting whimper is not terribly surprising. (Neither is the irony that the Falcons' owner is named Blank.)

Unfortunately, this one is hard to call. Locally we hear a different POV every day as to his fate. I'd hate to be the judge who fails to make an example of him by requiring every hour and dollar the law allows; and I am hard-pressed to believe that any judge would give him no time or only a couple of months. However, some commentators here have made strong predictions that he won't serve a day.

And St. Thor, great idea to withdraw draft picks! It gets their attention in the NCAA! I'm willing to give up my team's success for justice in this case. But that ain't gonna happen as long as it is the *league* itself "urging" the Falcons to "restrain" from their own actions (implying they even had any) until the *league* says so. I think that's a fox I just saw standing at the henhouse door. J

Posted by: jeweytunes at August 21, 2007 05:56 PM

Hmmm...I have certainly been following this, how could I not, it's everywhere. You remember the wife of that West Tennessee minister who is walking around free? You know, the one that murdered her husband? I read a book one time and it damn sure didn't involve dogs. I don't know, there is much here. Not sure where to start and not sure I am willing to take the fallout.

Posted by: wilson at August 22, 2007 09:40 PM

One of the many things Tammy has taught me is the symptom of a Mal-Nar is "I'm shocked!"

I guess this whole controversy strikes me on such a fundamentally hypocritical note. "NFL Morality" is the ultimate USA oxymoron. We love to scream and cheer and throw billions of dollars around while football players pummel each other and then we're "shocked, shocked!" when the violence on field we heartily endorse and perversely adore is further sublimated off-field.

Seems like this controversy is the USA at its weakest...no matter which way you look at it reeks.

It is very unpleasant to face.

ICK-ICK-ICK.

Posted by: pjhluke at August 23, 2007 09:20 PM

When Michael Vick met with the NFL Commissioner, he said that he loved dogs and would never do the things he was being accused of. Word of advice to any person out there whom Mr. Vick has said he loved:

RUN!!!

Posted by: Gettysburg at August 25, 2007 07:46 AM

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