RICHMOND, Va. -- NFL star Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot.
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback and three others were charged with competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.
The operation was named "Bad Newz Kennels," according to the indictment, and the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a property owned by Vick in Surry County, Va.
The 18-page federal indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges the 27-year-old Vick and his co-defendants began the dogfighting operation in early 2001, the former Virginia Tech star's rookie year with the Falcons.
The indictment states that dogs fought to the death -- or close to it.
Vick indictment
Len Pasquarelli talks about the ramifications of Michael Vick's indictment in an alleged dogfighting ring. Listen Vote: Are you surprised? See the full indictment Pasquarelli: Vick faces different kind of pressure now
If convicted, Vick and the others -- Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor -- could face up to six years in prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution.
Telephone messages left at the offices and home of Vick's attorney, Larry Woodward, were not returned. A woman who answered the phone at the home of Vick's mother said "no comment" and hung up.
"We are disappointed that Michael Vick has put himself in a position where a federal grand jury has returned an indictment against him," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
"The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Michael Vick's guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts."
Vick and the Falcons are scheduled to report to training camp on July 25.
"Obviously, we are disturbed by today's news," the team said in a statement posted on its Web site, apologizing to fans for the negative publicity.
"We will do the right thing for our club as the legal process plays out. We have a season to prepare for," it said.
John Goodwin of the Humane Society said the manner in which losing or unwilling dogs were killed was especially troubling.
The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Michael Vick's guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy
"Some of the grisly details in these filings shocked even me, and I'm a person who faces this stuff every day," he said. "I was surprised to see that they were killing dogs by hanging them and one dog was killed by slamming it to the ground. Those are extremely violent methods of execution -- they're unnecessary and just sick."
Vick and the others are accused of "knowingly sponsoring and exhibiting an animal fighting venture" and conducting a business enterprise involving gambling, as well as buying, transporting and receiving dogs for the purposes of an animal fighting venture.
About eight young dogs were put to death at the Surry County home after they were found not ready to fight in April 2007, the indictment said. They were killed "by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."
The indictment also outlined a rough chronology:
In March 2003, after a pit bull from Bad Newz Kennels lost in a fight, it said Peace consulted with Vick about the losing dog's condition, then executed it by wetting it with water and electrocuting it;
In March 2003, after two Bad Newz Kennels dog lost fights to dogs owned by a cooperating witness, it alleged that Vick retrieved a bag containing $23,000 and gave it to the owner of the winning dogs. One of the fights had a $20,000 purse;
In the fall of 2003, a person witnessing a dog fight involving one of the dogs trained by Bad Newz Kennels incurred the ire of another cooperating witness by yelling out Vick's name in front of the crowd during the fight.
It also said that after establishing Bad Newz Kennels in early 2002, Vick and the others obtained shirts and headbands promoting their affiliation with the kennel.
AP Photo/Steve Helber
State and federal officials load coolers of evidence into a truck as they search the grounds behind a home owned by Michael Vick in Smithfield, Va., on July 6.
After a police raid on the property in April, Vick said he was rarely at the house, had no idea it may have been used in a criminal enterprise. He blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity.
On Vick's Web site, he lists his birthplace as Newport News, "a.k.a. BadNews."
Purses for the fights ranged from hundreds of dollars to the thousands, and participants and spectators placed side bets, the document said.
Local authorities have been investigating the allegations since the April 25 drug raid at the property Vick owned. On June 7, officials with the Department of Agriculture executed their own search warrant and found the remains of seven dogs.
Surry County prosecutor Gerald G. Poindexter said he didn't know of the indictment before it was filed, and said he's not sure how the county will continue its case.
At the start, authorities seized 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting. About half the dogs were tethered to car axles with heavy chains that allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact -- an arrangement typical for fighting dogs, according to the search warrant affidavit.
The indictment said dogfights were held at the Virginia property and dog owners brought animals from six states, including New York and Texas.
In a search warrant executed July 6, the government said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours.
Before fights, participating dogs of the same sex would be weighed and bathed, according to the filings. Opposing dogs would be washed to remove any poison or narcotic placed on the dog's coat that could affect the other dog's performance.
Sometimes, dogs weren't fed to "make it more hungry for the other dog," it said.
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this is really sad.. I love dogs. And this certainly isn't what Vick should be doing with all those kids looking up to him as an idol.
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Anyone who breeds and trains any animal as a fighter should stripped naked and forced to fight to the death in a confined "ring" against a similar animal.
Actually, I would opposes such a sentence, but I say that in order to express my contempt for that sort of vulgar personality.
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The NFL has a situation on its hands. Training camp starts next week and if Vick is not suspended you will see PETA picketing at the falcons traing camp, along with many animal lovers boycotting the NFL.
Also the owner of the Falcons also owns Home Depot.
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Associated Press Nike Suspends Release of Vick Line By GEORGE HENRY 07.19.07, 6:26 PM ET
Related Quotes NKE 59.83 + 0.15
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ATLANTA - Michael Vick's legal troubles prompted Nike on Thursday to suspend the release of its latest product line named after the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.
Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people ) has told retailers it will 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.
Vick will be arraigned next week in a Richmond, Va., federal courtroom on charges of sponsoring a gruesome dogfighting operation.
Meanwhile, Falcons owner Arthur Blank issued a statement Thursday, saying the organization is "working diligently on exploring our options."
"This is an emotionally charged and complicated matter," Blank said. "There are a wide range of interests and legal issues that need to be carefully considered as we move ahead, including our need to respect the due process that Michael is entitled to. Also, this situation affects everyone - our club, our players and associates, our sponsors, our fans and the Atlanta community among them - so we must consider all of our customers in making any decisions.
"Given the differing perspectives and strong feelings around this issue, we probably won't make everyone happy, but we are committed to doing the right thing. As the owner of this club that's, ultimately, my responsibility."
Blank added that he was "saddened and distressed about this - not for myself, for our fans and community who have been so loyal to us."
ESPN reported that Vick had called Blank on Wednesday. The network said its sources believed Vick to have been contrite, and he apologized for the distractions the case has created, and thanked Blank for his support.
Stoyer said Nike still has a standing contract with Vick, but declined to speculate on his future with the company.
A statement released by Nike Inc. said the company "is concerned by the serious and highly disturbing allegations made against Michael Vick, and we consider any cruelty to animals inhumane and abhorrent. We do believe that Michael Vick should be afforded the same due process as any citizen; therefore, we have not terminated our relationship."
Stoyer, who declined to discuss terms of Vick's contract, indicated the company has no commercials or documentaries planned with the three-time NFL Pro Bowl selection.
In previous years, Nike has run footage and interviews with Vick on its Web site, but none of the video promotions are currently posted.
"Some of that was shown on a limited run based on rights and usage," Stoyer said. "There's nothing new planned."
The Humane Society of the United States issued a statement calling upon Nike to pull its Vick clothing and shoes from retailers and from its Web site. It also called upon NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Vick.
Vick signed his current contract with Nike in 2001, the same year Atlanta chose him as the NFL's No. 1 overall draft pick. After leading the Falcons to the 2002 and '04 playoffs, Vick last year became the first quarterback in league history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
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Vick's Cards Yanked From Donruss, UD Products Jul 27 2007 4:37PM
Michael Vick spent the first six years of his captivating NFL career performing feats of extraordinary athleticism that made him one of the most collectible and collected players in all of sports.
His cards have been among the most desirable on the football market seemingly from the beginning. Certainly no other player in the history of football cards has had a more profound impact on the Beckett Football Hot List than Vick.
In the 12-year history of Beckett Football's 20-card Hot List, Vick cards have been responsible for 15 appearances at No. 1 (including 10 alone by his 2001 SP Authentic JSY AU RC), by far the most of any other player. In addition, 34 unique Vick cards have appeared on the Hot List; David Carr is second with 21.
The value of Vick's once-enormous appeal certainly wasn't lost on the folks at Donruss, who as recently as 2006 had a deal with the now-embroiled Falcons quarterback to appear on the company's packaging and advertising.
That, of course, was long before Vick landed in the center of a dog-fighting controversy that threatens to dramatically impact the rest of his career, to say nothing of his collectibility.
Friday afternoon, Donruss officials confirmed that they have removed Vick from all future 2007 products, beginning with the October release of 2007 Donruss Gridiron Gear. A few hours later, Upper Deck removed Vick from its 2007 card releases and pulled all Vick items from its UD Authenticated memorabilia product line.
"If anybody who knows about the current Vick situation knows Donruss, they know that this is a decision we had to make because of Ann [Powell] and her love of dogs," says Scott Prusha, Donruss' communications manager. "This decision came straight from Ann."
Powell, who owns Donruss, is an avid dog lover whose Labrador Retrievers Bailey, Diesel, Koda Bear, Lhotse and Snoozer accompany her to work every day and enjoy virtually free reign inside Donruss headquarters.
Donruss has an existing autograph agreement with Vick, and much of the company's plans for the remainder of 2007 included inserting both autograph and memorabilia cards of Vick into every remaining product.
"[Value] wasn't even a consideration," Prusha says. "We met as a company and the idea was brought up to pull him. There was no opposition from anybody in the room. It was unanimous that we were behind the decision."
Kerri Stockholm, Upper Deck's Director of Marketing, said, "Of course we appreciate the fact that Mr. Vick is innocent until proven guilty, but the allegations alone have resulted in an outpouring of very strong emotion within our organization and among the collecting community. We believe collectors will agree and support this decision as being the best course of action for our football business."
Dan Hitt, Beckett Media's Sports Data Manager, says that while he applauds the companies' decision to pull Vick from future products, he's doubtful that it will have a huge impact either way on the value of Vick's trading cards.
"Vick seems to be doing all he can to crush the value of his cards," Hitt says. "Even the most recent basic Vick autographed card values have dropped more than 50 percent in value in the past year.
"Cutting off the quantity of new card releases for Vick won't endear collectors to the Falcons' quarterback. Not too many collectors would be excited about pulling any sort of Vick card out of a pack right now anyway, so nearly any replacement player would be welcomed."
Hitt notes that copies of Vick's 2001 SP Authentic RC, which once held a Beckett Value of $1,600 and currently books between $500 and $1,000, have recently traded in the $480 to $590 range.
For what it's worth, trading cards aren't the only sector of the memorabilia business reacting to the Vick situation. Earlier this week, the NFL's online store removed all Vick items from NFL.com, and Reebok recently announced that they have temporarily ceased distribution of Vick jerseys.
Tracy Hackler
Officials from Topps and Players Inc were contacted for this story but were unavailable for comment Friday afternoon. Stay tuned to Beckett.com for updates to this story.
-------------------- ......in Psychiatry circles it's known as a "warning sign"
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RICHMOND, Va. -- Michael Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, a deal that leaves the Atlanta Falcons quarterback facing up to 18 months in prison and puts his NFL career in jeopardy. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Vick be sentenced to between a year and 18 months in prison, according to a government official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been made final.
That would be a higher penalty than is usually recommended for first-time convicts, and reflects an attempt by the government to show that animal abusers will receive more than a slap on the wrist for their crimes, the official said.
The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson will have the final say on how much time Vick will ultimately spend in jail.
Vick's plea hearing is Aug. 27.
Defense attorney Billy Martin said Vick reached an agreement with federal prosecutors after consulting with his family during the weekend.
"Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made," Martin said in a statement. "Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter."
The NFL noted in a statement that Vick's admission wasn't in line with what he told commissioner Roger Goodell shortly after he was initially charged.
"We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons," the NFL said.
The league, which barred Vick from training camp, said it has asked the Falcons to withhold further action while the NFL's own investigation wraps up.
The Falcons said they were "certainly troubled" by news of the plea but would withhold further comment in compliance with Goodell's request.
In a telephone interview with the AP, Martin said Vick is paying a high price for allowing old friends to influence his behavior, but he emphasized that his client takes full responsibility.
"There were some judgment issues in terms of people he was associating with," Martin said. "He realized this is very serious, and he decided to plead so he can begin the healing process."
The lawyer said salvaging Vick's NFL career was never part of the discussions.
"Football is not the most important thing in Michael Vick's life," he said. "He wants to get his life back on track."
Vick is charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. He had pleaded not guilty last month and vowed to clear his name at a November trial.
The plea deal was announced just a new grand jury began meeting. Prosecutors had said that a superseding indictment was in the works, but Vick's plea most likely means he will not face additional charges.
Three of Vick's original co-defendants already have pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against him if the case went to trial. Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach signed statements saying the 27-year-old quarterback participated in executing at least eight underperforming dogs by various means, including drowning and hanging.
Phillips, Peace and Tony Taylor, who pleaded guilty last month, also said Vick provided virtually all of the gambling and operating funds for his "Bad Newz Kennels" operation in rural Virginia, not far from Vick's hometown of Newport News.
The gambling allegations alone could trigger a lifetime ban under the NFL's personal conduct policy.
Vick's Atlanta attorney, Daniel Meachum, told the AP that Vick is taking a chance with his guilty plea as far as his career is concerned because there have been no discussions with the league in recent days.
"There's no promise or even a request of the league to make a promise," Meachum said.
Meachum said the plea deal involves only the federal case. He said he doesn't know if there have been any discussions about resolving Virginia state charges that may be brought against Vick.
The case began April 25 when investigators conducting a drug search at a massive home Vick built in Surry County found 66 dogs, some of them injured, and items typically used in dogfighting. They included a "rape stand" that holds aggressive dogs in place for mating and a "breakstick" used to pry open a dog's mouth.
Vick contended he knew nothing about a dogfighting operation at the home, where one of his cousins lived, and said he rarely visited. The former Virginia Tech star also blamed friends and family members for taking advantage of his generosity and pledged to be more scrupulous.
The July 17 indictment said dogs that lost fights or fared poorly in test fights were sometimes executed by hanging, electrocution or other brutal means. The grisly details fueled public protests against Vick and cost him some of his lucrative endorsement deals.
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-------------------- ......in Psychiatry circles it's known as a "warning sign"
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Stephon Marbury defends Michael Vick, calls dogfighting a sport
August 22, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury defended Michael Vick, calling dogfighting a sport and comparing it to hunting.
Marbury spoke Monday about the federal dogfighting conspiracy charges against Vick while promoting his basketball shoe in Albany, N.Y.
"I think it's tough," Marbury said, according to Albany TV station Capital News 9. "I think, you know, we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors."
On Monday, Vick said through a lawyer that he will plead guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. He also faces possible prosecution in Virginia.
"I think it's tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down," Marbury said. "I think he's one of the superb athletes, and he's a good human being. I just think that he fell into a bad situation."
-------------------- The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits
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from an article I read by Jason Whitlock in a Vick report...
...Last week we learned that 28-year-old Travis Henry, a decent NFL running back, has fathered nine children by nine different women in four different states. In America, especially among superstar athletes, sex is still mostly thoughtless and unprotected...
I really hate that, I really wanted to like Henry, then he goes and Larry Bird'n everybody and their moms... all that exposure and waste it all with all the kids watching and learning. It's a damn shame...Barry Bonds...
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