Vick Dogfighting Case
Events in the case of Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick, who was indicted on federal dogfighting charges.
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During a drug raid at a Surry County home owned by Vick, officials discover evidence that the home is part of a dogfighting operation. With a second search warrant, they confiscate 66 dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, and equipment that includes a rape stand, pry bar, treadmill and a bloodied piece of carpet.
Who's Who: Sports Scandals
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Vick claims he's never at the house in Surry County, and blames family members for taking advantage of his generosity and says he's learned a lesson.
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Vick has meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his string of off-field transgressions and the dogfighting investigation. Humane Society of the United States and PETA call on Goodell to ban players who are involved in dog fighting.
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Falcons owner Arthur Blank meets with Vick to remind him that he represents himself, the team and the league and needs to act right. Vick declines to comment on dogfighting investigation, saying he's been advised by his lawyer to say nothing more.
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Surry County authorities secure third search warrant for Vick's property based on an informant's claim as many as 30 dogs are buried on the property. Search warrant is never executed because prosecutor doesn't like the way it is worded.
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Informant tells ESPN that Vick is "one of the heavyweights" in dogfighting dating back to his college days and that he often bet large sums on dogfights.
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AirTran Airways announces it is dropping Vick as spokesman.
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Officials with the Department of Agriculture execute a search warrant at Vick's Surry County property with the help of state police, finding remains of seven dogs and taking DNA samples. Vick cites a "scheduling conflict" in announcing his youth camp at Christopher Newport University is canceled.
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William & Mary announces that Vick will no longer appear at a football camp held at the school and will be replaced by the Washington Redskins' Jason Campbell.
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Nike announces it has no plans to drop its sponsorship of Vick.
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Federal investigators conduct second search at Vick property, using a backhoe to dig in an area where dogs are believe buried and placing evidence gathered into large coolers packed with ice. Court documents filed in Richmond are released, detailing aspects of the case for the first time. Vick is not named in documents.
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Vick and three others are indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to dogfighting. The 18-page indictment uses Vick's name throughout and gives a rough timeline of how dogs were electrocuted, drowned, shot or hanged at Bad Newz Kennels, which it says was started by the four at the Surry County property in 2002.
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Vick and other three defendants are scheduled to appear in court July 26, the same day the Falcons open their first training camp under new coach Bobby Petrino.
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell orders Vick to stay away from Falcons training camp.
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Falcons owner Arthur Blank confirms that the team wanted to suspend Vick for four games, the maximum allowed under the league's collective bargaining agreement with the players union, but he adds that he will wait on the NFL to conduct its own investigation.
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Vick and three others pleaded not guilty to federal charges in connection to dogfighting accusations and was released conditionally without bond until a Nov. 26 trial.
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Nike Inc. suspended its contract with Vick and will pull goods with his name off the shelves at stores the company owns. In a statement, the company said it had not terminated the contract, as animal-rights activists had urged the company to do after Vick was accused of federal dogfighting charges. "Nike has suspended Michael Vick's contract without pay, and will not sell any more Michael Vick product at Nike owned retail at this time," the company said.
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Tony Taylor, a co-defendant in the case, enters a guilty plea to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors in Virginia. Taylor will be sentenced in December. He says he wasn't promised any specific sentence in return for his cooperation with the government. The charges carry a maximum punishment of five years in prison, and fines of up to $250,000.
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Two of Michael Vick's co-defendants in a dogfighting case entered guilty pleas, leaving the Atlanta Falcons quarterback on his own to cut a deal or face trial on federal charges. With his NFL career in jeopardy and a superseding indictment adding more charges in the works, Vick and his lawyers have been talking with federal prosecutors about a possible plea agreement.
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An attorney for Michael Vick said Vick had agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors in connection with the dogfighting charges he faced. "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. Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter," attorney Billy Martin said in a statement.
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Vick's plea agreement, which he signed Aug. 23, is filed in federal court. In it, Vick admits to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and helping kill pit bulls. He denies ever betting on the fights, only bankrolling them. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback is scheduled to formally enter his plea Monday, Aug. 27 in U.S. District Court.
Later in the day, the NFL announces Vick has been suspended indefinitely.
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Michael Vick formally entered his guilty plea to a federal dogfighting charge before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. He now awaits a Dec. 10 sentencing date that could send the star NFL quarterback to prison.
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Michael Vick and three co-defendants are indicted by a grand jury on state charges related to the dogfighting ring he operated on his Virginia property.
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A federal judge placed tighter restrictions on Michael Vick after he tested positive for marijuana. Because of the result, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson placed special conditions on Vick's release, including restricting him to his home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and ordering him to submit to random drug testing. The urine sample was submitted Sept. 13, according to a document by a federal probation officer.
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Vick surrendered to U.S. marshals three weeks ahead of his Dec. 10 sentencing date on dogfighting conspiracy charges, turning himself in because he was anticipating a prison term. Vick is being held at Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Va. An order filed in U.S. District Court said "Vick has indicated his desire to voluntarily enter custody prior to his sentencing hearing. It appearing appropriate to do so, the U.S. Marshal is ordered to take custody of the Defendant immediately upon his surrender."
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A federal judge sentenced two of Michael Vick's dogfighting cohorts to 18 months and 21 months in prison. "You may have thought this was sporting, but it was very callous and cruel," Judge Henry Hudson told Quanis Phillips of Atlanta, who received the longer sentence. The prison terms for Phillips and Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach are a little longer than prosecutors recommended, but less than the five-year maximum Hudson could have imposed.
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Vick is sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson could have sentenced the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback to up to five years.
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A federal judge orders Vick to repay about $2.5 million
to The Royal Bank of Canada for defaulting on a loan. The bank sued Vick in September, arguing his guilty plea to a
federal dogfighting charge - and the resulting impact on his career - prevented him from repaying the loan.
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Vick files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy papers claiming he owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors.
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Vick pleaded guilty to a state dogfighting charge, a move that could make him eligible to leave prison early and potentially speed up a return to pro football.
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Due to a lack of space at a halfway house in Newport News, Va., Vick will be released instead to his Hampton, Va., home at some point on or after May 21 to finish his sentence, a government official who has knowledge of the case said. Vick will be on electronic monitoring and will only be allowed to leave home for activities approved by his probation officer. He is eligible for release in July.
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Credits:
CBS/AP
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