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Posted
Falcons' Vick indicted by grand jury in dogfighting probe

ESPN.com news services

 

Updated: July 17, 2007, 5:15 PM ET

 

Michael Vick has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the dogfighting probe of his house in Virginia.

 

The Falcons quarterback was indicted for conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting venture in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District in Richmond, Va. Three others -- Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor -- also were indicted by the grand jury on the same charges.

 

ESPN reporter Kelly Naqi contributed to this report.

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Posted
Why is the federal government getting involved in this?

 

 

because what he's doing is a federal crime.....they were reading all the info on WEEI and it looks like he's really screwed; not only NFL suspension but federal jail-time.

Posted

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2940065

 

 

Michael Vick has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the dogfighting probe of his property in Virginia.

 

The Falcons quarterback was indicted for conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District in Richmond, Va. Three others -- Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor -- also were indicted by the grand jury on the same charges.

 

The indictment states: "If convicted on the Travel Act portion of the conspiracy charge, each defendant faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and full restitution. If convicted on the animal fighting venture portion of the conspiracy charge, each defendant faces one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking recovery of any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained directly or indirectly as a result of these offenses. "

 

According to court documents filed by federal authorities earlier this month, dog fights have been sponsored by "Bad Newz Kennels" at the property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states.

 

Members of the venture also knowingly transported, delivered and received dogs for animal fighting, the documents state.

 

 

 

Fifty-four pit bulls were recovered from the property during searches in April, along with a "rape stand," used to hold dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified for dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting, the documents said.

 

 

 

 

The property was used as the "main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture," according to the filings.

 

 

 

The documents said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours. The winning dog would win from "hundreds up to thousands of dollars," and participants and spectators also would place bets on the fight.

 

 

Before fights, the 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 participants would not feed a dog before the fight to "make it more hungry for the other dog," the documents said.

 

 

Fights would end when one dog died or with the surrender of the losing dog, which was sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method, according to the documents. The property has an above-ground swimming pool, and investigators were seen looking into the pool Friday.

 

 

 

During a June search of the property, investigators uncovered the graves of seven pit bulls that were killed by members of "Bad Newz Kennels" following sessions to test whether dogs would be good fighters, the documents said.

 

 

 

Members of "Bad Newz Kennels" also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and other states, the filings said.

 

On June 7, federal law enforcement officials descended on the property with a search warrant. More than a dozen vehicles went to the home early that day and investigators searched inside before turning their attention to the area where officials found dozens of dogs in late April and evidence that suggested the home was involved in a dogfighting operation.

 

 

Surry County officials had secured a search warrant in late May based on an informant's information to look for as many as 30 dog carcasses buried on the property. The warrant never was executed because Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter said he had issues with the way it was worded.

 

The results of that search have remained sealed.

 

At the time, Poindexter expressed surprise at why the federal government was involved.

 

"What is foreign to me is the federal government getting into a dogfighting case," Poindexter said. "I know it's been done, but what's driving this? Is it this boy's celebrity? Would they have done this if it wasn't Michael Vick?"

 

A day later, "They launched a separate, independent federal investigation," Poindexter said of the government, which has had a representative involved in the local probe all along.

 

A search warrant affidavit said some of the dogs were in individual kennels and about 30 were tethered with "heavy logging-type chains" buried in the ground. The chains allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact, one of myriad findings on the property that suggested a dogfighting operation.

 

 

 

Vick initially said he had no idea the property might have been used in a criminal enterprise and blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. He also put the house up for sale and reportedly sold it quickly, although there is no record that the sale has closed. Vick has since declined to talk about the investigation.

Posted
because what he's doing is a federal crime.....they were reading all the info on WEEI and it looks like he's really screwed; not only NFL suspension but federal jail-time.

 

Why is he screwed?

 

Dogfighting isn't a federal crime. They could barely find enough evidence to link Vick to attending a dogfight at the house. What evidence do they have to prove that Vick was a big part of "Bad Ass Kennelz?" (or whatever the f*** it is)

 

It's going to be awfully hard to get someone on a conspiracy charge.

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Actually, conspiracy charges are easier to prove than hard crimes. It's at a federal grand jury because of the crossing of state lines.
Posted
Actually' date=' conspiracy charges are easier to prove than hard crimes. It's at a federal grand jury because of the crossing of state lines.[/quote']

 

I should have said, "this conspiracy charge."

 

I don't think they have anything on Vick, regarding his involvement with the dog fighting company.

 

I'm not sure, but I think I read something about Vick breeding pitbulls. That and the fact that he was the owner of the house might be enough to get him for the conspiracy charge, but this is a federal case. I'd expect the burden of proof to be a bit higher.

Posted
Why is he screwed?

 

Dogfighting isn't a federal crime. They could barely find enough evidence to link Vick to attending a dogfight at the house. What evidence do they have to prove that Vick was a big part of "Bad Ass Kennelz?" (or whatever the f*** it is)

 

It's going to be awfully hard to get someone on a conspiracy charge.

 

It is a federal crime now.

 

Indictment against Vick describes unfathomable acts

 

Posted: Tuesday July 17, 2007 11:41PM; Updated: Tuesday July 17, 2007 11:41PM

http://i.cnn.net/si/images/1.gifhttp://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/football/nfl/07/17/dohrmann.vick/p1_071707_vick_ap.jpg

During an April raid of Vick's property in Virginia, authorities seized 66 dogs and equipment commonly used in dog fighting.

AP

 

 

http://i.cnn.net/si/images/1.gifhttp://i.cnn.net/si/images/1.gifRELATEDFalcons 'disturbed' by news of Vick indictment

 

 

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http://i.cnn.net/si/images/1.gifBy George Dohrmann, SI.com

The indictment handed down Tuesday against Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three others describes in detail how they procured a property in Virginia for the purpose of staging dogfights, bought dogs, and then fought them there and in several other states over a six-year period. With at least three cooperating witnesses providing the details, federal authorities compiled a detailed case that traces the birth and rise of Bad Newz Kennels.

 

But not a single line in the 18-page indictment will generate more rage toward Vick and the others charged -- Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor -- than a sentence near the end. It reads: "In or about April of 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

 

In interviews I conducted for an earlier story on the subculture of dogfighting and Vick's involvement, several experts described to me the process of "rolling" dogs. Owners take young dogs, usually puppies, and put them in an enclosed area and see how they react. They prod the dogs and urge them to get angry. If a dog shows aggression toward another dog, that's a positive. If a dog is timid, it is useless. Some fighters give away puppies that don't show the required "gameness." Other owners don't bother with the trouble of finding them a home and simply kill them.

 

Vick and his three associates, according to the indictment, fall in the latter category. Federal investigators allege that Vick is a murderer of dogs who weren't willing to fight for his enjoyment. Even worse, his actions appear more sinister than most professional dogfighters.

 

"If you want to kill a dog, why exert the energy to slam him into the ground or drown him? Why not just shoot him, which is the most common method?" says John Goodwin, dogfighting expert for the Humane Society of the United States. "That is insane. These guys, if they did that, have serious problems."

 

Vick's problems would seem to be plentiful now that he has gone from a person of interest in local and federal investigations to one of four men charged in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va. with conspiracy to commit interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in an animal-fighting venture. On the Travel Act portion of the conspiracy charges, he faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The dogfighting charges carry a possible sentence of one year in prison and $100,000 fine or both.

 

Still, even with the gravity of the crimes alleged, Vick's most serious problem would seem to be one of perception. If one believes the allegations against him, Vick is neither a novice dogfighter nor or a hobbyist who dipped his toe into the sport briefly. The indictment alleges that Vick is a professional dogfighter who"sponsored" more than two dozen dogfights. He is not, as he previously said, someone who merely trusted the wrong people. Rather, he is the face of a bloodsport that the majority of NFL fans probably didn't know existed until the property he owned on Moonlight Road was raided in late April. And, now, he becomes the ultimate test for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and his new discipline policy.

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"We expect the Falcons and the NFL to take prompt action," Goodwin says. "The message needs to be sent to other athletes who have been involved or are involved in dogfighting that this can be a career ender."

 

It remains to be seen how the Falcons or the NFL will act, but if they read all 18 pages of the indictment, one can be sure they will no longer give Vick the benefit of the doubt.

 

According to the indictment, Vick, who was also known as "Ookie," and the three others set out to start a kennel of American Pit Bull Terriers for the purpose of fighting them around 2001. Around May of that year, the indictment states that Taylor picked the property on 1915 Moonlight Road near Smithfield, Va., and Vick paid $34,000 for the land.

 

In that same year, Vick and the other three men began acquiring fighting dogs, purchasing animals in Virginia and other states. There were four dogs from an individual in North Carolina, another dog bought in New York, and six dogs and six puppies from an individual in Richmond, Va.

 

According to the indictment, in Sept. 2001, Vick and two others purchased four pit bulls puppies, including a male named "Magic" for $1,000 from an individual who has since testified before the grand jury. In 2002, Vick, accompanied by Peace, purchased four pit bulls from another person in Virginia who the indictment says is now a cooperating witness for the government.

 

The indictment states that in early 2002, the quartet established "Bad Newz Kennels" and even obtained shirts and headbands that "promoted their affiliation" with that organization. They also began renovation of the Moonlight Road property: building a fence to shield the portion where dogfights allegedly occurred and sheds to house the dogs and training equipment. They buried car axles in the woods so they could tie the dogs to them.

Around the summer of 2002, the four men began "rolling" dogs, according to the indictment. At that time, Peace, Phillips and Taylor each killed at least one dog that proved to be a poor fighter. Peace shot a dog with a .22 caliber pistol. Phillips also shot a dog.

 

Taylor, the indictment alleges, executed at least two dogs that didn't test well, shooting one and electrocuting at least one other.

 

Federal investigators say the quartet began attending fights as early as 2002, and in that year, Vick is first said to have sponsored a fight, between "Zebro" and "Maniac" at the Moonlight Road property for a purse totaling $2,000.

 

One of the more detailed descriptions of a fight involves a bout in March 2003. A professional fighter, now cooperating with the government, traveled from North Carolina to a location near Blackstone, Va., with his 35-pound female pit bull and a 47-pound male pit bull. The purse was $13,000 a side for the fight involving the female and $10,000 for the fight between the males. According to the indictment, Peace and Vick "represented" Bad Newz Kennels at those fights, which Bad Newz Kennels lost. "Peace, after consulting with Vick about the losing female pit bull's condition, executed the dog by wetting the dog down with water and electrocuting the animal," the indictment reads.

 

The fate of the male dog owned by Bad Newz is not mentioned in the indictment, but it does state that following that fight, "Vick retrieved a book bag containing approximately $23,000 in cash" and gave it to the winning owner, who is listed as "Cooperating Witness #2" in the indictment.

 

There are other allegations like those, other unfathomable acts. At times, the indictment can be difficult to read. Vick allegedly got into dogfighting in 2001 and fought dogs as recently as April. In other words, federal investigators say he's been a dogfighter as long as he's been an NFL quarterback.

 

After reading and rereading the allegations against Vick, it's easy to imagine a future where he is neither.

Posted
It is a federal crime now.

 

 

No, it's not.

 

It's a federal crime, because he crossed state lines. Dogfighting is a crime against the state, not the United States of America.

Posted

Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act

 

 

 

Bill Number: H.R. 137 & S. 261

Bill Status: Signed into Law

HSUS Position: Support

Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)

Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Ensign (R-NV), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Legislature Status: In Session

 

 

Last Action: 5/3/07: Signed into law.

 

To upgrade current penalties by authorizing felony-level jail time (up to three years) for violations of the federal animal fighting law, and to prohibit interstate and foreign commerce of cockfighting weapons.

Posted
Why is he screwed?

 

Dogfighting isn't a federal crime. They could barely find enough evidence to link Vick to attending a dogfight at the house. What evidence do they have to prove that Vick was a big part of "Bad Ass Kennelz?" (or whatever the f*** it is)

 

It's going to be awfully hard to get someone on a conspiracy charge.

 

i dont know about that.

consider

when a dozen of these wannabe rapstar/idiots in attendence are facing jail time for other activities and theyre offered a deal if they testify against vick they will roll on him eagerly.

mike vick is the da's target here,not marcus vick or his posse of retards.

his career in the nfl is essentially over whether he gets convicted or not.

theres not a big calling for 48% passers who are pushing 30 and have some real sick s*** in their closets

this nation is fickle

you can beat the s*** out of your wife brother and your roomate with an axe but if you touch an animal we want your ass on a skewer.

 

and for the record

adam jones was suspended for the season and hasnt been convicted of anything....... yet.

this commisionar isnt f***ing around

look for atlanta to waive vick bye bye before camp opens.

from fox

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7033162

 

""Three others were indicted with Vick and you can bet that one of them, in lieu of lesser charges, will attempt to implicate Vick even more. That's the American way when it comes to justice. The FBI got involved in the Vick case because the bureau didn't believe Virginia authorities were pursuing the case aggressively enough.""

Posted
you can beat the s*** out of your wife brother and your roomate with an axe but if you touch an animal we want your ass on a skewer.

 

 

This is the one and only part of this case that concerns me.

 

A criminal can repeatedly rape a child and get a lenient 3 year sentence because his Daddy used to call him names and hit him.

 

A thug can rob and execute, mob style - -in a restaurant alley, an innocent citizen, then cop a plea and be out in less than 15yrs.

 

First-time gun-crime offenders (i.e. armed robbery) can often be out in 2 years because...well...it was their first time, and heck, they didn't actually shoot anyone.

 

But if you ruffle the puppy's fur, you're fckd big time.

 

What's more, I can't tell you how many people I've known or met who treat animals BETTER than they treat other people...including their own family. It's sickening.

Posted
This is the one and only part of this case that concerns me.

 

A criminal can repeatedly rape a child and get a lenient 3 year sentence because his Daddy used to call him names and hit him.

 

A thug can rob and execute, mob style - -in a restaurant alley, an innocent citizen, then cop a plea and be out in less than 15yrs.

 

First-time gun-crime offenders (i.e. armed robbery) can often be out in 2 years because...well...it was their first time, and heck, they didn't actually shoot anyone.

 

But if you ruffle the puppy's fur, you're fckd big time.

 

What's more, I can't tell you how many people I've known or met who treat animals BETTER than they treat other people...including their own family. It's sickening.

Animal Rights lobbyists are very vocal, well-funded and politically influential. That being said, it's not the fault of the animals. This dog-fighting stuff is despicable.
Posted
Animal Rights lobbyists are very vocal' date=' well-funded and politically influential. That being said, it's not the fault of the animals. This dog-fighting stuff is despicable.[/quote']

 

"not the fault of the animals"

 

not sure what that statement means or how that has anything to do with the obvious misdirection of priorities within our criminal justice system and the flawed morality of our society.

 

Of course it's despicable. But it pails in comparison to other crimes that are more dangerous to our society but which aren't treated as such.

 

Dog-fighting? From an ESPN article:

 

So why would a professional athlete risk his reputation -- and a lifetime of financial security -- to do this?

 

"For the thrill of it," said a member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame who asked not to be identified. "It's like gambling, no different than when Michael Jordan drops $100,000 on a hole of golf."

 

So Vick is a sick and sadistic individual who gets his jollies gambling on dogs that maul each other. Yeah, it's disgusting...but we'll have to see if the crime fits the punishment.

Posted

Dante Culpepper will be in Falcon black by the end of the week as Joey Harrington's backup.

 

I agree that our judicial focus is a bit skewed when we look at the crime and punishment of animal abusers vs. human abusers. However, if Vick is guilty of these charges, he is one sick SOB who does not deserve to be playing in the NFL.

Posted
This is the one and only part of this case that concerns me.

 

A criminal can repeatedly rape a child and get a lenient 3 year sentence because his Daddy used to call him names and hit him.

 

A thug can rob and execute, mob style - -in a restaurant alley, an innocent citizen, then cop a plea and be out in less than 15yrs.

 

First-time gun-crime offenders (i.e. armed robbery) can often be out in 2 years because...well...it was their first time, and heck, they didn't actually shoot anyone.

 

But if you ruffle the puppy's fur, you're fckd big time.

 

What's more, I can't tell you how many people I've known or met who treat animals BETTER than they treat other people...including their own family. It's sickening.

 

What Vick is being accused of is much worse than "ruffling a puppy's fur" as you say. If the reports are correct, Vick was deeply involved in a sick, immoral hobby where a baby dog would be dropped as bait and the two fighting dogs would fight to death for it. After the match, the losing dog would sometimes be shot, strangled, drowned, or electrocuted after being drenched with water. If Mike Vick really was a big player in this whole situation, he makes Pac Man Jones look like a cub scout. This crime is very serious for a reason and it's just sickening that a human being could do something so cruel like this for entertainment.

Posted
What Vick is being accused of is much worse than "ruffling a puppy's fur" as you say. If the reports are correct' date=' Vick was deeply involved in a sick, immoral hobby where a baby dog would be dropped as bait and the two fighting dogs would fight to death for it. After the match, the losing dog would sometimes be shot, strangled, drowned, or electrocuted after being drenched with water. If Mike Vick really was a big player in this whole situation, he makes Pac Man Jones look like a cub scout. This crime is very serious for a reason and it's just sickening that a human being could do something so cruel like this for entertainment.[/quote']

 

 

No s*** what he's been accused of is worse than "ruffling a puppy's fur". That phrase was used to illustrate the misplaced ideals of many in our society (as I said those who treat animals better than they treat people...and those who believe animal rights take precedent over human rights).

 

I never stated that Vick's actions were akin to "ruffling fur"...I did state that he is sick and sadistic. The point is, and it's it bearing out now through the media, too many people care more about abused animals than they do about abused humans, and the media and our judicial system cater to that camp.

 

s***, hang Vick for all I care, but hang the rapists and the child abusers and armed robbers and drug dealers and the white collar criminals too.

Posted
Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act

 

 

 

Bill Number: H.R. 137 & S. 261

Bill Status: Signed into Law

HSUS Position: Support

Bill Sponsor(s): Reps. Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)

Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Ensign (R-NV), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Legislature Status: In Session

 

 

Last Action: 5/3/07: Signed into law.

 

To upgrade current penalties by authorizing felony-level jail time (up to three years) for violations of the federal animal fighting law, and to prohibit interstate and foreign commerce of cockfighting weapons.

 

That's what makes it a federal crime. If Vick had stayed in Virginia, and had the dogfight there, the Feds couldn't have gotten involved.

Posted
That's what makes it a federal crime. If Vick had stayed in Virginia' date=' and had the dogfight there, the Feds couldn't have gotten involved.[/quote']

 

I don't know if they "couldn't" have gotten involved...but it would have def been less likely. Now that they are involved, they will prosecute everything and the state's case will most likely be superseded by the feds. The main reason the fed got involved was because they felt that the state was dropping the ball and not doing things correctly. Down here (i live about 90min from va tech) i have heard some rumblings that there were people trying to make the case "go away" on the state level. (at least vick's involvement)

 

The bottom line is the fed got involved because it's mike vick, and they felt if they didn't nothing would come of it. I think they are trying to set an example with him, and it wouldn't make national news if it wasn't vick.

Posted
I agree that wwe have issues when animals get better treatment than humans. But what I find most concerning about this are some of the allegations against Vick ... the way he killed. It is bad enough to put a bullet in a dog's head because it lost. It is another to bash its head onto the ground, drown etc. That just shows what a nut he is. I really do not want that guy running around untill he really snaps.
Posted
I don't know if they "couldn't" have gotten involved...but it would have def been less likely. Now that they are involved' date=' they will prosecute everything and the state's case will most likely be superseded by the feds. The main reason the fed got involved was because they felt that the state was dropping the ball and not doing things correctly. Down here (i live about 90min from va tech) i have heard some rumblings that there were people trying to make the case "go away" on the state level. (at least vick's involvement)[/quote']

 

The federal government would have no jurisdiction in a crime against the state, therefore, they couldn't have been involved.

 

Vick is not actually being charged with dog fighting, but he crossed state lines with the intent to aid in dog fighting.

Posted
Vick's career is over. Before this, he was an overrated quarterback who had never accomplished anything but now that his public image is completely negative and America figured out that he is a sick human being, he is completely done. Hopefully, he gets the six years in prison and never steps on to an NFL field ever again, however if he does, pro-animal groups will be outside of all his games and court hearings, the media will never let him live it down, his sponsors will dump him, and his fans will betray him...all of which would be rightfully so. I hope the piece of s*** gets six years of jailtime and never gets to step on the field ever again.
Posted

I think he'll be convicted, but won't get six years.

 

You're right, his career is over. He may have not killed those dogs, but those dogs were his, and the house was his.

 

Even though the cruelty to animals is irrelevant in this case, (not what he's being charged for) the prosecutors will bring that up, which is going to absolutely kill Vick.

 

There's enough circumstantial evidence to get him.

Posted
I think he'll be convicted, but won't get six years.

 

You're right, his career is over. He may have not killed those dogs, but those dogs were his, and the house was his.

 

Even though the cruelty to animals is irrelevant in this case, (not what he's being charged for) the prosecutors will bring that up, which is going to absolutely kill Vick.

 

There's enough circumstantial evidence to get him.

 

I owned, bred, and raced greyhounds in my younger years. Only once did I put down a dog ( defective heart as a puppy ). The rest all became pets after racing.

Posted
I want first shot at his balls' date=' one at a time. Almost forgot, I'll need a high power scope to find them. :thumbdown[/quote']

 

Why would you want to look at Vick's balls with a high-powered scope? You sicko! :D

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