Michael Vick Pleads Not Guilty

Star Quarterback Was Released Conditionally Until November Trial For Dog Fighting Charges

(CBS/AP)  Michael Vick pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal dog fighting allegations and was released without bond until a Nov. 26 trial.

"I take these charges very seriously and look forward to clearing my good name," the Atlanta Falcons quarterback said in a prepared statement read outside court by his attorney, Billy Martin.

"I respectfully ask all of you to hold your judgment until all of the facts are shown. Above all, I would like to say to my mom I'm sorry for what she has had to go through in this most trying of times. It has caused pain to my family and I apologize to my family."

Vick and three others entered their pleas in U.S. District Court to charges involving competitive dog fighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting, and conducting the enterprise across state lines.

According to the 15-page affidavit, Vick, a cousin and two friends ran a dog fighting business — Bad Newz Kennels — out of Vick's house in Virginia, reports CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts.

In grizzly detail, prosecutors allege dogs that lost in the fighting pit were often shot, hanged, drowned, or electrocuted, adds Pitts.

U.S. Magistrate Dennis W. Dohnal, in releasing the defendants without bond, said the judicial system is grounded on the principle that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty "no matter how heinous the allegations may be."

Among the conditions set for all the defendants is that they surrender their passports, that they not travel outside their immediate area without court approval and that they do not sell or possess any canine.

In addition, Vick was ordered to surrender any animal breeder or kennel license.

Vick and his co-defendants entered their pleas before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

"He asserted in a loud and clear voice that he is not guilty of these allegations," Martin said of Vick. "This is going to be a hard-fought trial."

Vick arrived at the courthouse at 3 p.m. in a black sport utility vehicle and was booed by a crowd of hundreds as he emerged.

The allegations detailed in a graphic, 18-page indictment sparked protests by animal rights groups at the headquarters of the NFL and the Falcons. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from training camp while the league investigates.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team wanted to suspend Vick for four games, the maximum penalty a team can assess a player, but the NFL asked him to wait. Instead, Blank has told his embattled player to focus on his legal problems, not football.

Thursday, the Falcons opened their first camp under coach Bobby Petrino.

The case began April 25 when investigators conducting a drug search at the home found 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls, and equipment typically used in dog fighting. 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 dog fighting operation at the home, where one of his cousins lived, and said he rarely visited. He has since declined comment, citing his attorney's advice.

Animal rights organizations have seized on the case as an opportunity to raise awareness of the largely underground and always gruesome world of dog fighting, where two dogs are trained to fight to the death, sometimes for hours.

Early Thursday, activists, supporters of the athlete and the media gathered outside the federal courthouse. Some members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals dressed in dog costumes and carried signs, including one with the image of a battered pit bull and the words "Dog Fighting Victim." Some people brought their dogs.

According to the indictment filed July 17, dogs not killed in the fighting pit were often shot, hanged, drowned or, in one case, slammed to the ground. The document alleges that Vick was consulted before one losing dog was wet down and electrocuted.

It alleges that the dog fighting operation began in 2001, not long after Vick parlayed a dazzling two-year run as the quarterback at Virginia Tech into being the first overall selection in the NFL Draft. His first contract was for $62 million.

In 2004, he signed a 10-year, $130 million deal, then the richest in league history.

The indictment alleges the fights offered purses as high as $26,000, and that Vick once paid $23,000 to the owner of two pit bulls that had beaten Bad Newz Kennels dogs.

That owner is one of four cooperating witnesses cited in the document.

Charged along with Vick are Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, Va.; Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Va. All face up to five years in prison, $250,000 in fines and restitution if convicted of both charges.

[opedanderson]

Coward. Put him in the pit with some dogs.....

[opedanderson]

Coward. Put him in the pit with some dogs.....

[agnim]

Much ado about nothing but the usual racist white supremacist lynching in a country that slaughters millions of cows, pigs, chicken, turkey, etc, etc every year.

For a nation that is enjoying the human fighting and slaughter of HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF IRAQI WOMEN, CHILDREN, OLD PEOPLE AND OTHER HUMANS, we show again our ignorance, racism and lack of proper priorities!

Truth be told, Vick is INNOCENT; but lynching Blacks is the historical American past time!

Even if put bulls are fighting, IT IS THE DOGS NATURE TO BITE EACH OTHER!

Moreover, pit bulls should not be bred; because they have no better use than to be tossed in a hole together to bite on each other.

No doubt all the uproar is being done by those perverts who are into bestiality.

[rafterman1]

===Much ado about nothing but the usual racist white supremacist lynching in a country that slaughters millions of cows, pigs, chicken, turkey, etc, etc every year.===

Slaughtered for food, not tortured into fighting. They use non-aggressive dogs as training dogs to be ripped apart by the fighters. How about you volunteer to be a training human and let them rip you apart if it's much ado about nothing, you scumbag.

[bequialife]

agnim,
People do NOT enjoy watching women and children being tortured and killed.
What does lynching blacks have to do with the price of tea in China?

[cryonbrian]

The US is a strange country. They have children hungry and living in poverty and women being abused every second and they are concerned with this loser Vick! I am all for the humane treatment of animals but this case is taking on a life of it own all because of who Vick is. As I type there are dog fights going on somewhere and believe it there are very powerful people higher that Vick that bets on it. If it is true what they say about Vick, he is only a small time player. Heck, he is Black and we know they ain't got not power regardless of their bank accounts! Fact!

[agnim]

"Slaughtered for food, not tortured into fighting.
Posted by Rafterman1 at 04:45 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

Don't be silly; how would you like to be slaughtered for food? LOL

And dogs are not tortured into fighting: DOGS FIGHT ACCORDING TO THEIR NATURE!
So quit with the ignorance and misinformation!

Put a herd of cows together forever and they are not going to fight:

BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE COWS' NATURE TO FIGHT EACH OTHER!

The reason you bestiality *** are in uproar over the dogs is because you deviants and perverts are into doing unnatural acts with the animals!
http://hqvirgins.com/galleries/animal/dog/df13/04.jpg

[agnim]

"People do NOT enjoy watching women and children being tortured and killed.
What does lynching blacks have to do with the price of tea in China?
Posted by bequialife at 04:47 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

No?

You must not have been paying attention to the news coming out of Iraq where Americans homosexual soldiers are seen in pictures ENJOYING torturing and killing HUMANS?
Yet there is no outcry over TORTURING, RAPING, SOD-OMIZING & KILLING OF HUMANS.

Go get your priorities straight and cease being ignorant and biased.

And, Vick being Black means that the usual racist white supremacist lynch mob is out with their ropes and long knives!

[jmbridges2]

What does race have to do with anything in this horrid act of human pleasure and money profiting. I didn't know only whites were farmers, cattle ranchers, worked in slaughter houses ect.... I guess all other races are vegeterians and don't eat meat, pork, or poultry or have any part in feeding the human race. You are so ignorant and thats why racism will never die. You have choices in life and Vic chose to control a dog fighting racket, got caught, and now he will be tried and sentenced occording the law. The majority of people have dogs for pets so that they can give us companionship, give us protection, become the handicap part we don't have (sight, heaaring, ect), and give us unconditional love. Vic tortured, breed them in barbaric ways, fought these dogs for profit and then killed them in a inhuman way. I hope in prison he becomes someones *** and exploted and treated like the dogs he used for fighting. JB in KS

[cryonbrian]

MarkS7177

You want to do those horrible things to a human but you complain when it is done to dogs?


Americans are CRAZY! SICK SICK SICK

[ammermantm]

Dogs are pack animals if you put 100 of them together they would get along fine. they might play which an untrained eye would call fighting but not "normal" dog is ever going to fight another dog to the death unless it is forced to.

[russ1985]

I think he'll plead it out and get two years probation, a six figure fine and a new address, either in Oakland or Detroit.

[iceman_1960]

"Put a herd of cows together forever and they are not going to fight"
- Posted by Agnim at 04:54 PM : Jul 26, 2007

That's a lot of bull.

Why do they have horns then ?

[tmn]

Ya, I'll just bet Vick is innocent. Sure, he knew nothing about any of this. Right. Hey, what have you got to lose? Plead innocent. The worst that can happen is the truth comes out and you are found guilty...

[c1rodz]

Vick...clearing my "good name", that's an oxymoron.

[iceman_1960]

"Ya, I'll just bet Vick is innocent. Sure, he knew nothing about any of this. Right. Hey, what have you got to lose? Plead innocent. The worst that can happen is the truth comes out and you are found guilty..."
- Posted by tmn123 at 05:26 PM : Jul 26, 2007

They said that about O.J. too.

[iceman_1960]

"Dogs are pack animals if you put 100 of them together they would get along fine. they might play which an untrained eye would call fighting but not "normal" dog is ever going to fight another dog to the death unless it is forced to."
- Posted by Ammermantm at 05:13 PM : Jul 26, 2007

That's true, although there are occasionally "dominance" issues at first.

Not so with cats, which are solitary hunters.

My two cats have been living together for four years, and they still hiss and challenge each other to "combat"

[rushlimpdrug]

Why do they have horns then ?
Posted by Iceman_1960

everyone know that they have horns so they can use them when they're stuck in traffic.

Anyways, I'm waiting for Jesse Jackscum, and Al Sharpthong to show up and blame it on "da' man"

[nascars08grl]

Abuse of any kind and to anything is appauling just to start. These innocent dogs were purchased as puppies with on intention to fight only to love and to be loved the were forced to learn how to fight and not just fight but fight to the death for no reason except for the enjoyment of the sick individuals who participated and watched. I hope that they receive the maximum punishment allowed by law and that the law would be changed for even stricter punishment. They killed well actually they murdered these innocent dogs! And in my opinion they deserve life in prison!!!! Lets put these 4 ppl in the ring with the dogs that they made killers out of and see how they like it and when they dont preform well would they like to receive the torture that these innocent dogs received? I dont believe they would!!! They are exploiting the pit bull breed!! ANYONE WHO EXPLOITS AND ABUSES NEEDS TO BE PUT BEHIND BARS!!!! Obviously if you can do what they did then you must not have compasion or love or respect for life of any kind!!!! BLACK WHITE PURPLE GREEN YELLOW OR ANY OTHER COLOR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT SO FOR ALL THE PPL WHO THINK ITS A BLACK THING GET A GRIP!! IT'S ABOUT WHAT THEY DID!!

[kailumego1]

Yes, the pit bull has a natural propensity or innate instinct to %u201Cfight%u201D, but does that mean so-called intelligent humans should exploit them, for the sport, CERTAINLY NOT%u2026..


This crime may not be tantamount to the millions of Native Americans, millions of Africans, hundred-thousands of Vietnamese, hundred-thousands of Rwandans, millions in Darfur, thousands of Iraqis, etc. etc. etc. etc., dying, slaughtered, murdered, etc., but does that make this offense exemptible because it%u2019s an animal, one of lower-intelligence.


And does this exempt Vick because he%u2019s black, WHEN there are bigger fish to %u201CFRY%u201D; it makes no difference if Donald Trump, George Bush, etc. etc. were the bigger fish Vick should still be held accountable, if he is GUILTY.


This is so annoying, whites make excuses for other whites, blacks make excuses for other blacks, etc. etc. etc., and how you [black or white] expect for one other to deal with the problem of racism, discrimination, inequality, etc. when blacks, whites, etc. constantly make excuses for the inappropriate criminal behavior of in-group members.


If Vick is guilty they should kick him off the team, fine him, and order him to serve community service at an Animal Shelter, Humane Society, etc.

And black folks need to stop using the excuse of racism to rationalize and exempt other black folks obnoxious felonious apathetic behavior.

[susieqtoo]

heh heh rush. . .I'm sure they're lurking somewhere, waiting to jump into the spotlight

[kailumego1]

Please don't make excuses for Vick, because he's black, making erroneous comparisons between what he allegedly did and human genocide,is a miscarriage of the degradation and suffering of millions, there is no comparison.

You've just did a disservice to the memories of millions, who suffered and died.

Men hunt for sport and food, cattle, pigs, chickens, etc. are slaughtered for food, but what does this have to do with someone DELIBERATELY orchestrating a neo-gladiator type sport violating and exploiting animals for their own aggrandizement.

Is the U.S. wrong for ILLEGALLY invading Iraq, AND REPSONSIBLE for the murder of thousands of innocent Iraqis, CERTAINLY, but what does one have to do with the other?

One vicious act doesn%u2019t exempt the other, because the casualties are more profound and the victims are human beings, in contrast to animals.

[willylou11]

All I can say about this is that I hope he was smart enought to not be involved in all of this. I will hold my judgement until he is proven guilty, if he is guilty, then he deserves absolutely no special favor in sentencing. As far as if he pleads out if guilty, one can only hope that Commisioner Goodell continues on his path to put the NFL back on the straight and narrow and deal with this case as severly as Adam Jones, Chris Henry, and Tank Johnson punish Michael Vick fittingly for his actions. Personally, if he's found guilty, I don't think a lifetime ban would be out of the question. They did it to Pete Rose and all he did was gamble.

[linfinster]

This makes me want to vomit.

What kind of human finds this entertaining?

[agnim]

This white whining is too funning for a hypocritical people who are slaughtering MILLIONS of cows, pigs, chicken, turkey, etc, etc ever year!

Why is all this much racist ado about dogs fighting, while Americans are ENJOYING HUMAN FIGHTING IN IRAQ SLAUGHTERING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, WOMEN, OLD PEOPLE, etc IN IRAQ?

The reason is simple!

White men can't satisfy their overly ho.rny white women who are prostituting themselves by the millions in cyberspace.

And the white women need to go to their precious dogs and other animals for their se.exual pleasure.

http://hqvirgins.com/galleries/animal/dog/df13/04.jpg

Now that is perverted; but they ignorantly take pleasure in such acts of deviance!

[iceman_1960]

"Pit Bulls, and other breeds like them, were created solely for the purpose of fighting."
- Posted by USAyesterday at 06:08 PM : Jul 26, 2007

True, but they were dogs before they were Pit Bulls.

The English Bulldog was also originally bred for fighting, and now, after generations of peaceful living, there isn't a sweeter dog alive than the average Bulldog.

And don't forget about "Butch" -- that loveable companion of Alfalfa, Spanky and Darla, was of the Pit Bull breed.

[linfinster]

Agnim, go adjust your meds ..

There is plenty to complain about, lets just stick to the topic at hand and see it for the disgusting and perverted action it is.

[iceman_1960]

"And the white women need to go to their precious dogs and other animals for their se.exual pleasure."

When there are white guys like me around, why would they need dogs ?

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by Agnim at 06:12 PM : Jul 26, 2007
+ report abuse

******

would it make you feel better if it was a white man??? this man is a disgrace to his race and should not be even be called african-american or whatever tag you want to use these days. HE IS A TYPICAL GHETTO NI GG ER!!
If you want to blame the 'white man' for every 'n igg er's failure, then rest assured ni ggers will be nailed to the lowest and most degrading part of the socio-economic ladder, which is after more 3 centuries and several other races than came and made a nice social standing in america,proves my point.

[iceman_1960]

This issue has nothing to do with race.

Michael Vick being African American is just incidental.

When professional wrestler Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son and then hanged himself, was anybody jumping up and down about his being White ?

I don't remember anybody doing that.

[agnim]

"When there are white guys like me around, why would they need dogs ?
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 06:23 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

LOL
There are not just enough virile white stud like you to go around, Iceman.
The other whining white men are useless and so they have to ensure that they procure the nice doggies to assist in satisfying their overly heated wimens. LOL

[jb21940]

you know who his lawyer is don't you?

[iceman_1960]

RE: Post by Agnim at 06:30 PM : Jul 26, 2007

My question could be interpreted in two different ways.

I'm glad my attempt at humor was appreciated.

[agnim]

"This issue has nothing to do with race.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 06:28 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

This America, little mind.
Know our history: In America EVERYTHING is about race!

Obama fell from white loins, yet that white boy is called Black.
Go to Africa and you will never find a Black man who fell from those black loins; but in racist America, everything gets distorted by America's obsession with race.

Vick is being lynched because of race!
The white supremacist never see a Black not in need of lynching; especially if he's more famous and making tons more money that him! LOL

[agnim]

"My question could be interpreted in two different ways.
I'm glad my attempt at humor was appreciated.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 06:34 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

Hey, I'm not making things up. I merely call things as they are historically in America.
And if humor enters the fray, dam right I'll make a note of it too.

[agnim]

"you know who his lawyer is don't you?
Posted by jb21940 at 06:31 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

Too bad it can't be Johnnie Cochran; but hopefully Johnnie will assist in this charade from above, and so thwart another racist lynch mob. LOL

[iceman_1960]

"This America, little mind.
Know our history: In America EVERYTHING is about race!"
- Posted by Agnim at 06:35 PM : Jul 26, 2007

Possibly so, until wise minds put a stop to it.

John F Kennedy's election crushed anti-Catholic prejudice in America, and a victory by Barack Obama could deal a heavy blow to racism today.

Here is the Chris Benoit story with 39 pages in its (now closed) Comments section.

See how many race-based comments you can find in those 39 pages.

"Cops: Pro Wrestler Killed Family, Self"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/26/national/main2979751.shtml

[formrusmcsgt]

Where's Vick's rag? I didn't even recognize him w/o his Aunt Jemima getup.....

[drummer94]

jb21940 was referring to the fact that Vick's lawyer represented Monica Lewinsky. Different kinda stain this time. Blood stain.

[iceman_1960]

Former Chicago Bull Dennis Rodman is a proud member and public supporter of PETA.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_notable_supporters_of_PETA

[iceman_1960]

"Rodman was the first man, and the first sports star to pose (naked) for PETA's advertisement campaign "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur".

Source: Wikipedia

[agnim]

"Here is the Chris Benoit story with 39 pages in its (now closed) Comments section.

See how many race-based comments you can find in those 39 pages.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 06:44 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

Why should race be involved, when white people are commenting about another white person's action?

You don't expect to white people acknowledge the warmongers of America are going to white?

And you don't expect the white people to say that any terrorist who would blow up the FBI building, killing scores, is going to be white?

Even worse, crazy Chris Benoit KILLED HUMANS!

Vick is INNOCENT, and we are talking MERE DOGS, of far less value than the cows we slaughter by the millions every year!

[iceman_1960]

Although negative information about pit bulls is widespread and, when a negative news story occurs, highly publicized, there are also many positive stories. Some work in hospitals and care facilities as certified therapy dogs, many are well-loved family pets, and some have even saved people's lives. There are many incidences of pit bulls being productively employed by U.S. Customs, as police K9s.

Often pit bulls have been reported to "adopt" other species of animals (such as kittens or squirrels), and are often very motherly towards small children, earning the breed the nickname "nanny dog".

A rescued pit bull called Popsicle is a United States Customs dog, and is famous for sniffing out one of the biggest cocaine busts in history.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull#Positive_press

[iceman_1960]

In February 2007 a pit bull named "Chief" rescued his family of humans from a spitting cobra by dashing in front of the attacking snake and taking the deadly bite himself. Chief subdued the snake but died of the venom 30 minutes later.

In April 2007, columnist John Canzano of The Oregonian newspaper wrote a favorable piece on Hollywood, the pit bull that formerly belonged to NBA player Qyntel Woods. Hollywood, renamed Stella, was adopted by a loving owner and reformed from a fighting dog to a lap dog.

In February, 2006, New Yorker magazine writer Malcolm Gladwell published an article surveying the research on pit bulls which concluded that legal attempts to ban the breed were both crude and unnecessary.

(Same source as previous)

[gmond]

If, as he says, Vick's cousin is the one responsible, then why is all the attention focused on Vick alone, have the others involved been charged?

[agnim]

""Rodman was the first man, and the first sports star to pose (naked) for PETA's

Posted by Iceman_1960 at 06:55 PM : Jul 26, 2007"
More proof that the bestiality inclined and pathetic PETA rabble rousers are nothing but nut jobs! LOL

No one takes Rodman seriously.
Rodman does not take himself seriously. LOL

[iceman_1960]

"Even worse, crazy Chris Benoit KILLED HUMANS!"

Of course I was not equating the severity of Chris Benoit's crimes with what is alleged of Michael Vick.

[agnim]

"In February, 2006, New Yorker magazine writer Malcolm Gladwell published an article surveying the research on pit bulls which concluded that legal attempts to ban the breed were both crude and unnecessary.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 07:05 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

Why stop the breeding when they make such good fighters? LOL

Humans have supremacy over the animals.

It is humans who 'created' pit bulls!

If dog fighting is unwanted then, don't promote the breed that would readily fight each other.

It's that simple; but the simple will not be satisfying for stubborn fools.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by Agnim at 07:01 PM : Jul 26, 2007

I was going to respond to your post, but you'er an idiot, people may not tell the difference LOL

[iceman_1960]

"Vick is INNOCENT, and we are talking MERE DOGS, of far less value than the cows we slaughter by the millions every year!"
- Posted by Agnim at 07:01 PM : Jul 26, 2007

He is innocent until proved guilty.

As for cows, I like them, but dogs are of far greater value than cows.

When has a cow ever functioned effectively in police work, as police dogs have ? If you were a fleeing suspect, which would you rather have trailing you, a police dog or a "police cow" ?

When has a cow sacrificed its life in saving a human family from a spitting cobra ?

When has a cow ever sniffed out a cocaine bust ?

When has a cow ever adopted a squirrel or kitten ?

Are there any "therapy cows" in hospitals or nursing homes ?

Would anyone even pay to see cows race with each other or pull sleds ?

No comparison between dogs and cows.