Vick goes to court today....

[GBRulz]

Isn't today the deadline for him to accept that plea deal?

[Rastak]

Isn't today the deadline for him to accept that plea deal?

Yes, New York Times indicated the deadline was 9:00am EDT. I'm guessing he either has or will agree to plead guilty today.

[GBRulz]

I think running an illegal interstate gambling ring that violates RICO laws is frowned upon.

I have two dogs and cannot even imagine what kind of sick frame of mind you have to be in to do this shit as a form of entertainment. I'm glad there is prison time involved in this, but IMO, it should be the way the dogs were abused just as much as the gambling part of it. Yes, I'm a huge advocate for animals and donate time and money to the local humane society and the ASPCA, so my judgment is probably more biased than others. Whatever the case, I hope this @sshole sits in prison and should not be allowed to make a dime off the NFL again.

[Rastak]

I think running an illegal interstate gambling ring that violates RICO laws is frowned upon.

I have two dogs and cannot even imagine what kind of sick frame of mind you have to be in to do this shit as a form of entertainment. I'm glad there is prison time involved in this, but IMO, it should be the way the dogs were abused just as much as the gambling part of it. Yes, I'm a huge advocate for animals and donate time and money to the local humane society and the ASPCA, so my judgment is probably more biased than others. Whatever the case, I hope this @sshole sits in prison and should not be allowed to make a dime off the NFL again.

Yea, I'm the exact same way. I'm guessing Vick does 16 months and I'm guessing the NFL will suspend him AFTER he gets out. Probably two years for the gambling aspect of it.

[Rastak]

from PFT.com......one of these idiots was arrested after failing a drug test while frree on bond....how stupid can you get?




PHILLIPS, PEACE ADMIT TO KILLING DOGS WITH VICK

In a statement of facts signed in connection with the guilty pleas entered on Friday morning by Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips, Peace and Phillips admit to participating with Vick in the killing of eight dogs in April 2007, according to ESPN.

In our view, this means that Virginia authorities now have the green light to proceed with an indictment of Vick on eight counts of animal cruelty. Under Virginia law, he'd face up to 40 years behind bars, in addition to any federal prison term that he serves.

The alleged involvement in killing dogs is, in our view, proof positive that Vick will never be able to return to the NFL.

ESPN also reports that Phillips immediately was taken into custody because he failed a drug test while free on bond.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think running an illegal interstate gambling ring that violates RICO laws is frowned upon.

Rastak, this is a little rich. RICO laws were invented to go after the Mafia, large organizations where it was otherwise hard to pin crimes on the guys at the top. It does not appear that these geniuses were running a large crime syndicate. I'm not saying RICO laws won't be used, it's a club that prosecutors have misused in the past.

Nobody cares much about the gambling aspect. People are upset because of the mistreatment of the dogs.

[Rastak]

I think running an illegal interstate gambling ring that violates RICO laws is frowned upon.

Rastak, this is a little rich. RICO laws were invented to go after the Mafia, large organizations where it was otherwise hard to pin crimes on the guys at the top. It does not appear that these geniuses were running a large crime syndicate. I'm not saying RICO laws won't be used, it's a club that prosecutors have misused in the past.

Nobody cares much about the gambling aspect. People are upset because of the mistreatment of the dogs.

Actually, word is that if he doesn't accept a deal the prosecutors have offered him today he WILL be charged for violating RICO laws and he'll face 26 years in the cooler. He'll have 3 of the 4 guys who setup the operation testifying against him. He could easliy spend 5-7 years in prison. Easily. If he doesn't plead guilty today then he has no brains.

And for the record, the no matter what they were originally created for (RICO) , they ARE USED NOW for interstate crime ventures like Vick was clearly running.

[Harlan Huckleby]

If I go up to my old stomping grounds, Hudson, and organize a poker game with Minnnesota and Wisconsin people, they might just RICO my ass.

[Rastak]

If I go up to my old stomping grounds, Hudson, and organize a poker game with Minnnesota and Wisconsin people, they might just RICO my ass.

Oh, I'm guessing if they show up at your house they'd have a bunch of options....LOL.....

[Harlan Huckleby]

If you look at JUST the gambling aspect, Vick's offense against football is not as bad as Paul Hornug's. Hornug was betting on the NFL.


I don't want to see Vick return to NFL. But I don't want to see him destitute, either. I'm not too worried about VIck being insufficiently punished.

[The Leaper]

I don't want to see Vick return to NFL. But I don't want to see him destitute, either.

I'm sure he has enough socked away already to remain far from destitute for quite awhile. It isn't my concern that he brought all of this on himself and killed the golden goose.

[Scott Campbell]

If I go up to my old stomping grounds, Hudson, and organize a poker game with Minnnesota and Wisconsin people, they might just RICO my ass.

Will you be torturing, electrocuting, hanging or drowning the losers?

[Jimx29]

ESPN also reports that Phillips immediately was taken into custody because he failed a drug test while free on bond.

Whaaa?? Does he think he plays in the NBA?

[woodbuck27]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-vickco-defendants&prov=ap&type=lgns

2 Vick co-defendants plead guilty; Vick accused of executing dogs

By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer

August 17, 2007

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Two of Michael Vick's alleged cohorts in a grisly dogfighting case pleaded guilty Friday, and one said the Atlanta Falcons quarterback joined them in drowning and hanging dogs that underperformed.

With his NFL career in jeopardy and a superseding indictment in the works to add more charges, Vick and his lawyers have been talking with federal prosecutors about a possible plea agreement.

Now that all three co-defendants have entered plea bargains, Vick is on his own to cut a deal or face trial on federal charges.

The court docket did not list any appearance for Vick. One of his lawyers, Lawrence Woodward, attended Friday's hearings and declined to answer questions as he left the courthouse.

Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta entered plea agreements and joined defendant Tony Taylor of Hampton, who struck a similar deal last month. The agreements require the three to cooperate in the government's case against Vick.

Sentencing is scheduled for Peace and Phillips on Nov. 30 and Taylor on Dec. 14. Vick has been barred from training camp by the NFL and is to go on trial Nov. 26.

A statement signed by Phillips as part of his plea agreement said Vick participated in the execution of about eight dogs, some by drowning and hanging.

"Phillips agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of Peace, Phillips and Vick," the statement said.

Phillips and Peace also backed Taylor's assertion that Vick was involved in gambling.

"The 'Bad Newz Kennels' operation and gambling monies were almost exclusively funded by Vick," statements by the two men say.

Peace and Phillips were charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.

"Did you conspire with these folks to sponsor a dogfighting venture?" U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson asked Peace.

He replied, "Yes, sir."

The offenses are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but the exact sentence will be based largely on federal sentencing guidelines. Hudson told Peace and Phillips that certain elements of their offenses will increase their sentencing ranges.

"There are aggravating circumstances in this case, there's no doubt about it," he told Phillips.

While Peace was freed, Hudson found that Phillips violated terms of his release by failing a drug test and ordered him jailed. Phillips also is on probation for a drug conviction in Atlanta, and the guilty plea could mean more jail time in that case, Hudson said.

Any outcome that ties Vick to betting on the dogfights could trigger a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's personal conduct policy.

The 27-year-old quarterback was linked to betting by a statement signed by Taylor, who pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government, and the July 17 indictment.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell withheld further action while the NFL conducts its own investigation. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league had no comment on the latest pleas.

About 30 animal-rights activists gathered outside the courtroom. Afterward, as police officers cleared the scene, protesters continued waving large pictures of a mutilated dog.

"This is one dogfighting ring that's been annihilated," said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States.

The four defendants all initially pleaded not guilty, and Vick issued a statement saying he looked forward to clearing his name.

A statement of facts signed by Taylor as part of his plea agreement placed Vick at the scene of several dogfights and linked him to betting. Taylor said Vick financed virtually all the "Bad Newz Kennels" operation on Vick's property in Surry County.

The case began with a search in April that turned up dozens of pit bulls and an assortment of dogfighting paraphernalia at the property, a few miles from Vick's hometown of Newport News. According to the indictment, dogs that lost fights or fared poorly in test fights were sometimes executed by hanging, electrocution or other means.

Associated Press Writer Dionne Walker contributed to this report.


woodbuck27:

Bye bye Michael. You really suck !!

[Harlan Huckleby]

If I go up to my old stomping grounds, Hudson, and organize a poker game with Minnnesota and Wisconsin people, they might just RICO my ass.

Will you be torturing, electrocuting, hanging or drowning the losers?

will consider for a future game. But of course this was a ridiculous premise - I would never socialize with people from Minnesota.