Vick indicted for dog fighting

chopitdown

1970RR wrote:

It shouldnt be a Federal issue.
http://www.reason.com/news/show/32860.html

while in theory it shouldn't be a federal issue; it sure is being treated as one in reality.

tybird

BlocksTheSun wrote:

Conviction or not, I want my 60 bucks back for my jersey. I can't wear it anymore. Mike, I want my money!

Did you get a "Ron Mexico" jersey before the NFL banned the sales of them?

culot4

Vick has just been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to maintain an interstate gambling enterprise and dog fighting operation. The big word is conspiracy. At least four states were involved. If its not the job of the federal government to prosecute this who's is it. Don't forget that the animal rights people are furious, and some half assed state investigation wasn't going to be enough.

tybird

culot4 wrote:

Vick has just been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to maintain an interstate gambling enterprise and dog fighting operation. The big word is conspiracy. At least four states were involved. If its not the job of the federal government to prosecute this who's is it. Don't forget that the animal rights people are furious, and some half assed state investigation wasn't going to be enough.

I will ask the wife this evening (or when I see her @ lunch), but probably falls under Ricco (sic?).....the laws they use to hit the mafia guys with....crossing state lines makes it a Federal case.

CorporateWhore

culot4 wrote:

Vick has just been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to maintain an interstate gambling enterprise and dog fighting operation. The big word is conspiracy. At least four states were involved. If its not the job of the federal government to prosecute this who's is it. Don't forget that the animal rights people are furious, and some half assed state investigation wasn't going to be enough.

Yeah, because states do everything "half assed."

Well, maybe Maryland does. Good point.

1970RR

culot4 wrote:

Vick has just been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to maintain an interstate gambling enterprise and dog fighting operation. The big word is conspiracy. At least four states were involved. If its not the job of the federal government to prosecute this who's is it. Don't forget that the animal rights people are furious, and some half assed state investigation wasn't going to be enough.

It should be handled by the states involved. They dont seem to have a problem prosecuting all the other millions of crimes that happen - take a look at our prison population.

chopitdown

1970RR wrote:

It should be handled by the states involved. They dont seem to have a problem prosecuting all the other millions of crimes that happen - take a look at our prison population.

how should it be handled? should each state bring charges separately and have 4 trials (or more)? Should they states combine charges?...if they even can (not a lawyer, have no idea) It just seems like it would be easier if all the charges were brought by one entity, doesn't it? If it happened just in VA then yes, it should be handled by VA alone.

vedderfan10

Uncle Leo wrote:

Dogfighting is bad and is mistreatment of animals. A conviction and whatever the courts would give him would have OK by me along with 8 games to a year from the NFL.

But this is way different. You almost have to be a sociopath to kill a dog by some of these methods. What kind of person could hold a dog underwater until it is dead (or i suppose they cowardly weighed him down and left)?

Dog fighting is illegal, not just bad mistreatment of animals. So is killing them inhumanely. It doesn't matter what breed of dogs these were -- no dog deserves to have any of this done to them.

He probably needs to have his newly signed $110 million NFL contract torn up - hit him where it hurts and show him what being a sociopath will cost. You do that to animals, you lose all you have gained, dickhead.

This is as bad as the sickening scum in New York who poured gasoline all over their pit bull and then set it on fire...You'd have to be void of any feeling or personality to do something like that....

And in both cases, if they can treat animals like this, they WILL treat people the same...You can kill a dog, you can kill a person...

suntzu98

This motherfucker should rot for the max which I believe is a lousy 6 years in the pen. You don't drown or beat a dog to death, I don't care what you may or may not believe about the Fed gov, taking this to court, they will deal with it in a timely manner and unlike that murdering fuck Ray Lewis Vick will do jail time. Arthur Blanc and Rodger Goddell should grow some balls and expel this shitbag from the NFL forever!

satansbedbugs

I agree . What he did was just sick and demented. I cant believe that these athletes are embarrasing themselves like this. they are supposed to be role models for our children, now some kid is gonna go out and kill a dog because he saw michael vick do it.. fry him!!!

Derrick

I can't believe certain people on this forum are whining about the legal process when the real issue is a group of people were raising innocent animals to kill and be tortured/starved etc.

I don't care if it's an NFL star or a bum on the street, and I don't care if the FBI, CIA, or local sheriff brought him in. No matter what way you look at it, it's a step forward to cleaning the trash out of society.

callen

satansbedbugs wrote:

I agree . What he did was just sick and demented. I cant believe that these athletes are embarrasing themselves like this. they are supposed to be role models for our children, now some kid is gonna go out and kill a dog because he saw michael vick do it.. fry him!!!

dog and cock fighting are big sports, participated by many people......and unfortunately its human nature to do these things..humans suck big time...hell we blow each other up....

How about Bull Fighting....same crap...lets add the Rodeo in there as well......and slaughtering animals in any shape of form....dogs are cute (I'm a big fan by the way) but we do this shit to animals everyday, every second.

Personally hope the guys taken out of the NFL and spends the 6 years in jail. But it won't happen....

THC

culot4 wrote:

Davon Boddie ( Vick's cousin who lived on the property) was mysteriously not named as one of the four people charged in the indictment. Chances are he has already flipped for the prosecution and is telling the feds everything they need to know. They knew exactly what to look for and where to look for it. There is no doubt in my mind the feds wanted Vick all along but from all the information that is available, The United States of America vs. Mike Vick is the real deal.

that's pretty interesting....

Anon

i don't hang out here in A Moving Train but canine abuse is something that disturbs me more than anything else. IMO Vick should:
get the max jail sentance
be banned from the NFL for LIFE!
never be allowed to own a dog again.

this thug-life image creeping into the NFL (Pacman, Tank Johnson) is unbelievable. if they start to become the NBA i will have no problem not watching anymore.

Vick will not play again for the Falcons. that i can say i belive 100%

i am very very upset about this. just listening to ESPN radio talk about it angers me to the point of tears. "Driven To Tears". gotta go.

sleeplikeadog

Since his trial won't start for a long time (maybe even a year or so), do you think that the NFL will allow him to play this year? Me and my boyfriend were talking about this, and I wonder what you guys think. My boyfriend says that yes, they will probably let him play because he doesn't know if they have reason enough not to let him play. He was just indicted, not convicted.

culot4

sleeplikeadog wrote:

Since his trial won't start for a long time (maybe even a year or so), do you think that the NFL will allow him to play this year? Me and my boyfriend were talking about this, and I wonder what you guys think. My boyfriend says that yes, they will probably let him play because he doesn't know if they have reason enough not to let him play. He was just indicted, not convicted.

He is due to be arraigned next week and the Virginia federal court is called the "rocket docket" due to its efficient handling of trials. Vick needs lawyers who know how to delay things. They are talking about Vick taking a leave of absence, a paid leave of absence. Personally I think the Falcons should just cut his ass because either way they are going to lose money. Peta is also expected to protest outside of Falcons training camp which could make things very uncomfortable. The best thing for everyone involved is if Vick just disappears. Hopefully forever. Pacman was suspended by the NFL a whole season without actually being convicted of anything.

tybird

culot4 wrote:

He is due to be arraigned next week and the Virginia federal court is called the "rocket docket" due to its efficient handling of trials. Vick needs lawyers who know how to delay things. They are talking about Vick taking a leave of absence, a paid leave of absence. Personally I think the Falcons should just cut his ass because either way they are going to lose money. Peta is also expected to protest outside of Falcons training camp which could make things very uncomfortable. The best thing for everyone involved is if Vick just disappears. Hopefully forever. Pacman was suspended by the NFL a whole season without actually being convicted of anything.

I think that someone will probably whisper the idea of taking a leave of absence into Vick's ear.....for sake for everyone involved, hopefully he will gracefully "ask" for said leave. The "wait and see" attitude of both the Falcons and the league is probably the correct thing to do. Despite some unsavory behavior in the past, Vick has not been arrested and charged with the sheer number of separate incidents a'la Pacman. This is far more of a high profile case than Pacman's multiple run-ins with the law. Remember Pacman was caught red-handed doing some of the illegal activities that he is charged with.....Vick was not caught "red-handed." If he pleads or is found guilty, the axe will fall swiftly from both the Falcons' ownership and the NFL.

That said, I do believe that he is guilty as charged and deserves prison time, loss of his career and forfeiture of his riches.

blackredyellow

interesting....

Vick ordered to avoid camp during investigation
ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- Michael Vick was ordered by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until the league reviews the dogfighting charges against him.

"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.

The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed.

The Falcons are scheduled to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, at which team owner Arthur Blank will discuss the Vick situation, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Goodell told Vick the league would complete its review as quickly as possible and that he expected full cooperation.

The Falcons open camp on Thursday, the same day Vick is scheduled to be arraigned in Richmond, Va., on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation.

Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, last season became the first quarterback ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards.

After his indictment last week, the NFL's position was that it would monitor developments and allow the legal process to "determine the facts."

Since then, pressure has been mounting on the league and the Falcons, particularly from animal-rights groups.

PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- demonstrated at Falcons' headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga., on Monday and did the same outside NFL offices in New York last week. At the same time, Goodell was meeting with officials from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The league and the ASPCA are working on a program to educate players about the proper treatment of animals.

Activists also put pressure on companies that have endorsement deals with Vick to sever their ties. Nike said it would not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, this summer. Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the four shoe products and three shirts that currently bear Vick's name will remain in stores.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2946832

tybird

blackredyellow wrote:

interesting....

Vick ordered to avoid camp during investigation
ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- Michael Vick was ordered by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until the league reviews the dogfighting charges against him.

"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.

The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed.

The Falcons are scheduled to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, at which team owner Arthur Blank will discuss the Vick situation, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Goodell told Vick the league would complete its review as quickly as possible and that he expected full cooperation.

The Falcons open camp on Thursday, the same day Vick is scheduled to be arraigned in Richmond, Va., on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation.

Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, last season became the first quarterback ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards.

After his indictment last week, the NFL's position was that it would monitor developments and allow the legal process to "determine the facts."

Since then, pressure has been mounting on the league and the Falcons, particularly from animal-rights groups.

PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- demonstrated at Falcons' headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga., on Monday and did the same outside NFL offices in New York last week. At the same time, Goodell was meeting with officials from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The league and the ASPCA are working on a program to educate players about the proper treatment of animals.

Activists also put pressure on companies that have endorsement deals with Vick to sever their ties. Nike said it would not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, this summer. Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the four shoe products and three shirts that currently bear Vick's name will remain in stores.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2946832

...and Arthur Blank and the Falcon's management breaths a big sigh of relief.

culot4

PETA has a lot more clout than people think. This is the best news the Falcons could have gotten was to let Goodell do the dirty work for them. This lets the Falcons off the hook having to pay Vick 6 million dollars to stay away which could have been viewed as the team basically paying for Vick's legal defense.