Vick isn't first in NFL to be convicted of dog-fighting

[idgiehkt]

This is news to me so I thought I'd post it, LeShon Johnson was convicted in 2005.

"Vick isn't the first U.S. professional athlete accused of running a dogfighting operation. In 2005, former NFL running back LeShon Johnson pleaded guilty to Oklahoma dogfighting charges and received a five-year deferred sentence. Former National Basketball Association forward Qyntel Woods received 12 months' probation and was required to perform 80 hours of community service after pleading guilty in 2005 to a misdemeanor animal-abuse charge after a dogfighting arrest in Oregon."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aRVnXby8NoT8&refer=home


LeShon Johnson
Alias: Krazyside Kennels
Gender: Male
Approximate Age: 32
Date of Birth: Jan 15, 1971
Location: Sperry, OK (US)

History
May 25, 2004 - Wetumka, OK (US)
Convicted: 21 Charged - Dog-fighting - 141 pitbulls seized

Sentence: Pled guilty to the following felony charges on December 20, 2005: One count of possessing dogs for the purpose of fighting, one count of encouraging dogs to fight, and one count of facilitating a dog fight. As part of a plea agreement, Johnson's sentence was deferred, and he was placed on 5 years probation. He was ordered to pay a $2,000.00 fine, $1,216.00 for court costs, and restitution in the amount of $5,000.00.
http://www.pet-abuse.com/profiles/1912/

Article also mentions Floyd Boudreaux, the 'godfather of dogfighting' who is going up on 48 counts of dog-fighting charges, by the state of Louisiana...been fighting dogs his whole life and will probably die in jail.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aRVnXby8NoT8&refer=home

they mention Big Boi's (Outkast) kennel in there, and he claims they are show dogs rather than fighing dogs. ????

[madrchsod]

1. that`s all he got?

should have been a lot more than that...course i`m a dog lover, so he would`t want me to pass sentence on him

[idgiehkt]

2. the more of it I read I can't believe it. They seized 141 dogs.

That is a HUGE kennel seizure, the biggest I've ever heard of.

And they charged him with conspiracy and racketerring. Wow. I don't know why the sentence was so light, he only got probation. This photo will make you sick:




He just loves those dogs, you know. :eyes: I don't follow football so I don't know if Johnson played again afterwards or not...it would be interesting to know.

okay I just wiki'd his sorry butt and this was after the football playing was over apparently. I recognized the name but didn't know the era of his playing.

[madrchsod]

3. he played college ball 40 miles from where i live.

he was the one of the best college running back during those years. he was "mr excitement" here in northern illinois

[idgiehkt]

5. I recognized the name

which says alot, lol, because I don't follow football except for the Carolina Panters and that is rarely.

I still can't get over that kennel seizure. I cannot imagine where they held those dogs until the plea agreement was reached... ususally they have to hold them until the case is settled and I've never heard of a shelter than can just 'take in' that many animals at once. I don't think Vick had anywhere near that number of dogs, and he is going to serve actual time. I think just in that short time the public has become more educated about this, thanks in part to shows like "Animal Cops Detroit" and the like. Plus this was apparently after the end of Johnson's career.

[madrchsod]

4. my son picked up a dog from some ne'er-do-well

later he figured out she was a bait dog..we have her now, she`s great dog but you can tell she`s been mistreated...

[idgiehkt]

6. that makes me really sad

I think they say less than 1% of the dogs and cats in this country even make it to their first birthday. That is great your son is giving her a good home.

[Wiregrass Willie]

7. They sneaked him in under the radar. n/t

[Joe Fields]

8. Hi, Idg,

I hadn't heard about any other pro athletes being convicted on dog fighting charges. I think it is one of the most despicable things anyone can do. And to anyone that defends or promotes such action, which is unconscionable, I would like to ask them to see how they would like it if they were put in a cage, treated cruelly and beaten, until they were forced to fight other humans to the death every day, knowing that if they didn't perform well they themselves would be brutally slaughtered by their master.

[idgiehkt]

9. hey!

fancy meeting you here. :)

I know what you mean, I was just googling and came across this article. Johnson got off so easily, had he gotten the kind of press Vick got I think it would have been different, this is a major, major bust they are talking about at that pet abuse link.

[Joe Fields]

10. Well, I am surprised that it was just a slap on the wrist for a felony.

Like you say, had he gotten the media attention of Vick then it mght have meant jail time and stiffer fines.

About Vick, I guess authorities had him seven ways to Sunday on the indictments. I know they were going to throw racketeering charges at him, if he didn't plead guilty. He'll probably only serve about 4 months, but hopefully that operation is finished forever. It's so sad that they will be putting his dogs down...

[idgiehkt]

11. I heard his sentence will be anywhere from 16 months to several years

I hope that is true, rather than just a few months. Plus VA is considering pursuing charges as well, which I hope they do.

I am in favor of euthanasia in these cases. Those dogs are dangerous...because their bloodlines as fighting dogs go so far back. I believe their is a world beyond this one and they are going to a better place than this. It's sad, but I'm afraid for game dogs there is no happy ending in this life.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

12. What makes Vick's case unique in this is that....

He seems to enjoy torturing and killing dogs when they don't win for him.

[idgiehkt]

13. those practices are not unique.

These are not-only the dogs that don't win, they are the dogs that run or back up or refuse to fight in general. I don't know if they busted a fight in progress in Vick's case, but it sounds like in Johnson's case they did. Johnson's kennel was humongous, it sounds like a much bigger bust, three times as many dogs and twenty or so people charged. I believe that what Vick did is standard operating procedure for dogs that refuse to fight or who lose...his friends said what they did about him to save their own hides. I am sure that Johnson participated in the same cruel executions of dogs on his property because most people who fight dogs do it that way. There is a book on dog-fighting called "Off the Chain" that talked about how non-fighters and non-winners are routinely killed violently. It is horrible, fight or die, or fight and die, those are the options. I haven't read that book, not sure if I want all that in my psyche, but it is often quoted in articles about dog-fighting.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. What kind of person could be so savage as to torture animals?

I remember when I was 18 that I lived above a man who had a doberman. I was too young and dumb to get involved, plus I was afraid of the man. He looked violent. The asshole kept the dog tied in the back with a short leash so the dog couldn't lie down. I don't know when he gave the dog water, but the dog had no water available. One day I saw the dog hanging dead by the leash. I cried and cried and cried. If I saw him today I'd kick him so hard in the groin, I'd send him to the hospital.