Source: Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dog fights

[n2doc]

Source: Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dog fights
ESPN.com
Updated: August 24, 2007, 12:37 PM ET


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.

more:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2989037

[Mojorabbit]

1. He was present but did not do any killing

Why didn't he stop the killing?

[truebrit71]

6. Sounds vaguely familiar...."I didn't inhale" anyone?

Just like that excuse, this one is bullshit too...

[BadgerLaw2010]

25. He's also claiming none of the gambling money was his money.

He's trying to save his NFL career and not caring how much this may piss the judge off. Judge wants to see you accept responsibility.

If the judge slaps Vick with the max, whether the NFL would take him back or not is irrelevent.

[Richard Steele]

44. Actually, he's already admitted he participated in killing some dogs. See #29 below. nm

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Why I have no use for plea bargains

In this case, a sports fanatic prosecutor gives Vick a free ride.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if money was passed under the table from the team to the prosecutor to protect the team's "investment".

It is a Bush prosecutor, after all.

[BadgerLaw2010]

24. Free ride? Bush prosecutor? Sports fanatic prosecutor? Learn the federal system.

The only federal prosecutor that is a political appointee is the United States Attorney, and if he wanted to rig something in Vick's favor, he wouldn't have sought the indictment. Hell of a way to help a guy out.

Federal plea bargins are dangerous to the defendent because there's no specific sentence agreement. The judge could give him the full five years.

[Robbien]

3. If the prosecutors are suggesting a jail term

usually judges consider that to be the maximum. Right? The defense suggests a small jail term and prosecutors suggest the upper term.

A year. Bah!

[BadgerLaw2010]

27. Not in the federal system. Judge can do whatever he wants.

The guidelines here would be 12-18 months since Vick is a first timer, but the judge could easily say "you're a POS" and give him 36 months, or "you're lying in this plea" and give him the full five years.

[IndianaJones]

4. As good an outcome as could be expected. Hopefully back in the NFL again by 2010. nt.

[natrat]

5. hopefully not-hopefully he is raped so badly jail he cant walk

[rudeboy666]

10. Advocating rape?

Granted, you are being sarcastic.

Still, the fact that this type of humor is somehow acceptable is disturbing given the issue of prison rape.

[IndianaJones]

12. sarcastic? nt.

[shanti]

42. kinda doubt that would happen

he's got a lot of juice.

[MISSDem]

46. Thank you.

[DemGa]

9. Yes, it will be fun to watch Vick booed and jeered off the field

I'd tune into their little game for that! Seriously, who wants this kind of negative attention? I think the Falcons or whoever will get someone else to throw their ball around.

[IndianaJones]

11. yeah...like Ray Lewis and Leonard Little. nt.

[DemGa]

15. I cannot imagine football fans will accept an animal abuser

because he can throw their little ball. Perhaps I give them too much credit...I don't think so.

[IndianaJones]

16. you can't imagine, yet football fans cheer those that killed people or were...

accused of doing so? And owners reward them with big contracts? Come on.

[Johonny]

35. So let me get this straight

So after Vick serves his penalty in jail for his crimes against society he has no possibility to re-enter our society? Are you arguing all prisoners should be shun from society? I would think Vick has as much right to re-enter society as the next ex-con.

Or on a different point why the heck do I care about what people are like off the football field. It's a football game. If I avoided all activities in which I might view or interact with a person who may have done something that offends me, I would never leave home (heck I couldn't live in my home given what most building contractors are like). Sometimes football is just a game and not an individual allegory for life in which the participants are judge not only by the play on the field but any petty real and perceived prejudices I wish to play out. We have a law enforcement system already, I’m not looking forward to a society where our employers become an active part of it.

[DemGa]

43. I'm saying the label of animal abuser, torturer, killer

will be poison to any organization. No one will want to touch him in that regard.

[emilyg]

23. Being from Ga. - I certainly hope so.

[madmom]

13. yeah, he's a great role model ain't he?

[IndianaJones]

14. are football players supposed to be role models? what does that have to do...

with it?

[napi21]

21. I don't know about "supposed to be", thefact is THEY ARE!

My grandson, age 8, has been playing pee wee football for 2 years and HIS idol was Vick! He loves playing football and seems to be doing quite well at it, much to my amazement and that of his parents! Neither of my boys ever played sports and even the coach was surprised when he asked my son how much time he spent teaching him football and my son said NONE!

I felt sorry for my grandson, because he was so sad when he heard about Vick's escapades. He plays QB and he wanted to be "just like Mike!"

yes, I'm sure that living in Ga. was influential on him chosing MV as his hero, but kids DO put tese pros on a pedestal, wether they should or not.

[IndianaJones]

22. again, what does that have to do with him playing again?

If every player that wasn't a good role model wasn't allowed to play, there would be about a 4 team league.

[napi21]

32. For ME, it 's because he disappointed me so much by what he did,

I don't want him benefiting from playing for the NFL again. The jail time and fines don't really mean much to me, but the realization of what he foolishly threw away will some day sink into Vick's brain someday, and I don't want him to ever forget just how stupid he was!

Yes, I know we're supposed to be a culture of forgivness, but I'm just not part of that culture I guess.

[IndianaJones]

34. that is fine. I am saying that there are athletes playing today and being cheered...

that have done things as bad or worse than what Vick is accused of doing.

[napi21]

36. Not by Me there aren't! At least not that I know of. n/t

[madmom]

40. there in lies the problem!! they are allowed to get away with stuff like this

and come back and say oh well no harm no foul? I think not!!!

[madmom]

38. whether they want to be or not they are, just like singers, actors etc.

kids see them and say "hey I want to be like that" and they see what they can do and get away with in their off camera life (let's face it once you're a celeb there is no private life)they become a role model.Just like britany, just like paris, just like lindsey, and all the rest.:shrug: that unfortunately is the way it is.

[Richard Steele]

26. Yes, your support of this scumbag is already known, like your support of animal cruelty in general.

We're all terribly impressed. :eyes:

[IndianaJones]

28. who's we? the pro prison rape crowd, the lynching crowd, or the "black dog" crowd?

I'm broken up about impressing you part.

[Richard Steele]

30. Howzabout "the anti-animal-torturing crowd"; AKA "everyone but you".

[IndianaJones]

31. is that what they call themselves now? learn something new every day. nt.

[madmom]

41. how about the - just because you're an athelete doesn't mean

you're above the law crowd?

[judaspriestess]

7. yes hopefully back in the nfl by 2010 by then he'll be a

worthless hack anyway.

[bicentennial_baby]

8. You can read the full plea agreement at TMZ.com

It's a .pdf file.

[BadgerLaw2010]

19. Vick is weaseling. Judge will probably give him three years+

He never put any of his money in those dog fight purses? Yeah, right. I'm sure the three unemployed knuckleheads came up with tens of thousands of dollars of purse money all on their own.

[flvegan]

17. State grand jury convenes in September. Facing up to 40 years, I believe.

Fuck Vick.

[IndianaJones]

18. harsh...but at least no wishes of prison rape. nt.

[flvegan]

20. I wouldn't wish rape (nor any violence) to any man nor woman.

I don't think that what I said, nor his potential sentence, is harsh. He's a criminal AND a scumbag.

[Poiuyt]

29. Vick did admit to killing dogs

In paragraph 32, Vick admits that in April 2007 -- the same month in which he say face-to-face with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and denied that dog fighting was occurring on his land -- he agreed with Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips to kill six-to-eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions. Here's the key passage:

"ll of those dogs were killed by various methods, including hanging and drowning. VICK agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of PEACE, PHILLIPS, and VICK."

more -

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

[AngryAmish]

33. Hey, you just beat me to it

He plead guilty, ESPN was wrong, wrong, wrong.

Read the whole thing at profootballtalk.com

[Poiuyt]

37. You got to be fast around here!

[Madspirit]

39. Odd...our paper said he admitted he killed pit bulls but did NOT gamble on the fights...n/t

[Javaman]

45. At the end of the day, I'm sure he'll be out there on the "gridiron"

playing ball again. And really, isn't that what this is all about?

It's all about him making money, not about pathological abuse of animals.

Hail all Romans, the colosseum is now open for your blood letting enjoyment!!!