Story with link: With two more co-defendants distancing themselves from Michael Vick, the embattled Falcons quarterback was considering on Monday whether to accept a plea agreement for his alleged role in a dogfighting operation. Sources told ESPN's Kelly Naqi that Vick attorneys Larry Woodward and Billy Martin met with federal prosecutor Michael Gill and the investigators on Monday afternoon. The attorneys planned to speak with the quarterback in the evening to see what direction he wants to go in. That comes on the heels of news that co-defendants Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips are scheduled to appear in federal court in Richmond at the end of the week and are expected to accept their own plea agreements. Peace's hearing is at 9 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, while Phillips will appear on Friday at the same time. Plea agreements would clear them to testify against Vick. Collins R. Spencer III, a spokesman for Vick's defense team, said the lawyers were surprised by the plea deals. "They didn't see it coming," Spencer said. But he said it wouldn't affect the way he proceeds with the case. In a Richmond, Va., court in late July, Vick pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. He said in a written statement that he looked forward to "clearing my good name." He also pleaded with the public to resist a rush to judgment. Another of Vick's co-defendants, 34-year-old Tony Taylor, pleaded guilty to the same charges and has pledged to fully cooperate with the government in its prosecution of Vick and the two others. The plea deal requires Taylor to testify against Vick and his two remaining co-defendants if called upon to do so. A source close to the investigation told Naqi that Vick has until Friday to make up his mind whether to accept a plea agreement. Otherwise a superseding indictment will be filed and Vick will face at least two more federal dogfighting charges. Meanwhile, the NFL dismissed a report Sunday that said commissioner Roger Goodell was close to announcing a season-long suspension of Vick. Citing two sources within the league, Yahoo.com reported late Sunday night that Goodell will announce "this week or next" that Vick will be suspended for the 2007 season. "That's the direction it's going and has been from the time this started," one of the sources said this week, according to Yahoo. "The plan was to make sure it was announced before the season. Given what everybody has seen from what [league] security found and what the feds are telling us, there's really no choice." Eric Holder, a former deputy attorney general retained by the league, is still gathering facts on Vick's alleged involvement in dogfighting, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "The commissioner has not made any decision," Aiello said. The gruesome details outlined in the July 17 indictment have fueled public protests against Vick and prompted the suspension of some of his lucrative endorsement deals. The summary of facts signed by Taylor supports the indictment's claims that the dogfighting ring on Vick's property in Surry County, Va., executed underperforming dogs by drowning, hanging and other brutal means. Taylor admitted shooting one dog and electrocuting another when they did not perform well in test fights in the summer of 2002. Vick has been barred from Falcons training camp by Goodell while the league conducts its investigation. "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 on July 24. Falcons coach Bobby Petrino said he has not spoken with his players about Vick's troubles since camp opened. "I'm not ready to respond to anything regarding Michael because I know nothing new," Petrino said. Falcons running back Warrick Dunn, Vick's teammate since 2002, said he recently spoke with the 27-year-old quarterback to offer support. Dunn added, however, that the players have no choice but to move ahead and prepare for the Sept. 9 season opener at Minnesota. "I don't think anybody on this team right now is hoping that Mike comes back," Dunn said. "If he comes back, that's great, but I just think right now we're at point where the guys that are here are trying to get better and move on down the road. Mike is going to be missed and has been missed, but at the same time you have to go on."
Lester Munson, a legal analyst with ESPN, stated Vick should find some way to plead guilty and do a little jail time while convincing others that he is trying to straighten up his life. It was just on ESPNEWS so I don't have a link for that.
Yeah I just heard about this on NFL network. 2 more co-defendants are going to accept plea deals which paves the way for them to testify against Vick. So he's got the feds saying he's guilty, along with the other defendants....yeah he needs to just plea guilty. I don't think he has much of a choice anymore.
A "little" jail time, huh? I guess 4-5 or more years seems like a little to everyone but the person doing the time.
A plea won't be for that long, since it is his first offense, and he would be sent to one of those country club type of federal prison..... Martha Stewert and Pete Rose style. The quiestion is whether or not the NFL will void his contract and let him back in the league in a couple of years. His days as an NFL QB are probably over. DD
This story reports that they're giving him a chance to plea out before RICO charges get filed and he's facing 20 years. Also says Vick is making his decision based on what the NFL would do if he pleas. http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=130275&ran=3186 Vick plea deal could be possible before end of the week By DAVE FORSTER, The Virginian-Pilot © August 14, 2007 | Last updated 11:43 AM Aug. 14 Michael Vick is expected to decide by the end of the week whether to accept a plea deal on a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge, according to a source close to the case. If he does not accept a deal, the source said, prosecutors plan to seek a superseding indictment against Vick for an additional charge under the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The federal grand jury, which must approve any new charges, will reconvene next week in Richmond, per its regular schedule. Vick's pending decision follows news Monday that his remaining two co-defendants had set hearings to accept their own plea deals, leaving Vick alone among the four men originally charged in the case. A third co-defendant accepted a plea deal two weeks ago and agreed to testify on behalf of the government. Vick's decision, according to the source, hinges on what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decides to do. If Goodell, who is conducting his own investigation into whether Vick violated league conduct policy, decides Vick should be banned for life from the NFL if convicted, Vick is expected to refuse a plea deal and go to trial, since an acquittal would be his only chance to play again, according to the source. If, however, Goodell tells Vick he could someday play again even with a federal conviction in the dogfighting case, Vick is expected to accept a plea deal, avoid the RICO charge, and take whatever leniency in sentencing his cooperation would get him, according to the source. Previous: Last two Vick co-defendants set to accept plea deals The decisions by Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach and Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta to accept plea deals Monday surprised Vick's legal team, said Collins Spencer III, a spokesman for the Newport News native. He said Tuesday morning that he could not comment on a possible plea deal for Vick. A third co-defendant, Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, accepted a deal and pleaded guilty two weeks ago, but he does not appear as close to Vick as Peace and Phillips. A written admission that Taylor submitted with his guilty plea said he left the group that called themselves "Bad Newz Kennels" in 2004 following a disagreement with Phillips and others. As news of the plea hearings spread late Monday afternoon, Spencer said he had not heard from the Atlanta Falcons quarterback. Spencer said he had talked with one of Vick's five attorneys, Daniel Meachum, who said his client plans to take the case to trial. "It won't affect how they move forward with the case," Spencer said. Peace's plea hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson in Richmond. Phillips' hearing is set for the following day, also at 9 a.m. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gill said at the men's July arraignment that prosecutors planned to present a new indictment by the end of August, which could bring more charges against Vick or name additional defendants. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. New allegations could surface when Peace and Phillips accept plea agreements. When Taylor pleaded guilty, prosecutors released a summary of facts that he agreed were true and that the U.S. government could prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Among the new details in Taylor's plea agreement was the assertion that Vick "almost exclusively funded" the dogfighting operation and supplied the money the men used to gamble on it. The men are accused of starting the outfit in 2001 on property in Surry County that Taylor found and Vick purchased. The men are also accused of executing some of the dogs that lost or performed poorly. Taylor, who is to be sentenced Dec. 14, had to agree to testify against Vick and the others. From the government's perspective, cooperation from Phillips and Peace could fill in gaps in the government's time line following Taylor's departure, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond School of Law. "It just becomes that much harder for Vick," he said. Jeffrey Swartz, one of Phillips' defense attorneys, did not return a call to his office late Monday and an assistant for Peace's attorney, Claire Cardwell, said she was not commenting on the case. Phillips' and Vick's connection goes back to at least high school, where both played football in Newport News. Phillips was also listed as the contact to buy a dog on the now-defunct Web site for the NFL star's K-9 Kennels. Local authorities found more than 50 pit bulls and items associated with dogfighting on the Surry County property in April. The search was done in connection with a drug charge against Vick's cousin, Davon Boddie, who was living at the property. The NFL has ordered Vick to stay away from the Falcons' training camp while the league conducts its own investigation. Vick's trial date is Nov. 26.
This kinda annoys me. I understand the reasons for plea bargaining and leverage and what not, but if the feds really believe that they could get a conviction on RICO charges, why wait to file that? If he did the crime, why not just go after him? Why dangle it as a consequence of not accepting a plea deal?
Vick is negotiating a plea http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/08/14/vick_0815.html
I've heard rumors that there is video of him killing a dog. not sure if its real, but if so, he better plea.
cut that meat, cut that meat! I think i've said this before to my HSUS org friend.... If we, dog lovers, treated our neighbors the way we treat our pets, the world would be better off. Real sports on HBO should be interesting tonight, a look at dogfighting in the U.S and an interview with Pacman (just a friendly reminder)
I don't know if it's the same episode, but I've read there's a pretty chilling interview with Javon Walker regarding the death of his teammate.
Yeah I heard on Rome today. The show will have a pac-man interview, the Vick thing, AND the javon walker interview.
Vick better thank his stars this is they way they did it. gives him a chance to get out with little time served (i'd say he serves a maximum of a year if he enters a plea...but that's just my guess) i think it's more to it than just Vick...that Vick will be giving them names of other guys involved in exchange for a lesser sentence and no new charges.
So basically with Michael Vick being Michael Vick if he plea he'll probably just end up serving alil jail time like Martha Stewart and them celebs. For what was done and 7 witness up against you ... if it was some other "regular" person ... they would be serving some hard times. Vick worrying about his NFL career to decide would never happen to a reg. "Joe" worrying about his job if convicted for the same thing.
Is kinda pointless when reading about a celebrity getting charge for something. Vick even serving 1 year would be a BIG DEAL but is nothing compare to what he did. Just like Paris Hilton, Martha Stewart...ect ... shooot I wont be surpise if he pulls an OJ and get out of it
If the feds have such a loaded case against Vick and he only gets one year in jail, that would be a gift-horse. Seems like they've used up a lot of resources to nail this guy just to let him off with only one year, especially if he's a kingpin behind things. Then again, if it's part of a wider crackdown on dogfighting and Vick isn't the biggest fish, I could understand it.
