Michael Vick Co-Defendant Pleads Guilty
Makes Deal With Federal Prosecutors; Atlanta QB Loses Another Endorsement Deal
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Vick Hopes To Play
CBS News RAW: Atlanta radio station V-103 had an exclusive interview with Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who faces federal dog-fighting charges. Vick says he hopes to play this season.
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Escorted by U.S. Marshals, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick leaves the federal courthouse in Richmond, Va., following his arraignment on July 26, 2007. (AP)
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick appears in a federal courthouse in Richmond, Va., on July 26, 2007 (sketch by William Hennessy Jr.). (CBS)
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Tony Taylor, 34, who will be sentenced Dec. 14, said he was not promised any specific sentence in return for his cooperation with the government.
Taylor, of Hampton, Va., entered his plea in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.
Vick, the star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, and two other co-defendants pleaded not guilty last week to similar charges.
The offenses carry a maximum punishment of five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
Prosecutors claimed in a July 17 indictment that Taylor found the Surry County property that Vick purchased and used as the site of "Bad Newz Kennels," a dog-fighting enterprise. Taylor also allegedly helped purchase pit bulls and killed at least two dogs that fared poorly in test fights.
According to the 18-page indictment, the dog-fighting ring executed underperforming dogs by drowning, hanging and other brutal means. It alleges that the fights offered purses as high as $26,000.Atlanta radio station V-103's exclusive interview with Vick
The grisly details outlined in the indictment have fueled protests and public outrage against Vick. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has banned Vick from the Falcons' training camp while the league investigates.
Vick and Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, are scheduled for trial Nov. 26. They remain free without bond.
Vick, meanwhile, lost another endorsement deal over the weekend. Upper Deck has removed all Michael Vick autographed memorabilia from its online store and will remove the indicted quarterback's trading card from NFL sets that are scheduled to be released in October.
The announcement by the San Diego County company came a day after Nike suspended its lucrative contract with Vick and Reebok took the unprecedented step of stopping sales of his No. 7 jersey. Another trading card company, Donruss, announced it was pulling Vick's likeness from any new packs.
"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," Kerri Stockholm, Upper Deck's director of marketing, said in a statement. "We believe collectors will agree and support this decision as being the best course of action for our football business."
Items pulled from the online store include autographed footballs, helmets, jerseys and the company's line of "Breaking Through" pieces. His card will be pulled beginning with the Ultimate Collection Football set.
A large crowd gathered outside the Georgia Dome Sunday afternoon to show their support for Vick, reports CBS Atlanta affiliate WGCL.
"The American Judicial system is innocent until proven guilty," said Selena Adkins.
"If he's not given a fair shot, I won't be a season ticket holder," said Roderick Green.
"I say give Michael a fair chance. They act like he's already been convicted," added Dewanna McGruder.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Atlanta radio station V-103's exclusive interview with Vick



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See all 191 CommentsI am not saying that he is guilty what I am saying he has to come forward about what he knew.
The other men came to their sences and said they were guilty now he has to come to his sences.
I know that his brother has a lot to anger inside of him is the way he got rid of his anger watching these animals kill each other or what?
On the other hand, if he is guilty and he doesn't stand up and admit it before a trial begins, and they find him guilty, he should be given the maximum penalty and never be able to play professional sports again. (Professional sports is a privilege).
Too bad he's even associated with this kind of act.
All charges are brought for what someone feels are good reasons. Point being, innocent til proven guilty, regardless if federal or state.
hard evidence and is a federal case. Major difference. I love football, but some of the comments coming from some of the players makes me wonder what some of these hip hop mentality
players are doing representing the NFL.
More tragically, this particular event characterized by this enterprise and behavior reflects badly on all black people. It reinforces extreme stereotypes that put black men on the level with animals. It instills greater fear in those who are already fearful. It is so bad it embraces the n-word. That is what is truly sad about all of this. It's not just the dogs that suffer but a whole race will pay a price for their exploitation of these animals.
Like the saying goes, "You can take the thug out of the hood but you can't take the hood out of the thug".
Burn in hell Vick and take your scumbag friends with you.
Yes Mr. Vick should be punished for his participation in this but to strip him down like he is a murderer that is WRONG! Also dog is man's best friend but who started this? And the animal rights people are stepping way tooo far on this one.
If you can afford the best liars in the business, oops, I mean lawyers, you will probably get off.
So you have to look at the evidence, look at the pocketbook of the accused, look at the legal staff and then decide whether guilty or innocent regardless of the court decision.
[Posted by grpdiver at 12:13 PM : Jul 30, 2007]
has anyone checked jamie's backyard?
But, what does this have to do with someone viciously, savagely abusing animals and murdering them???
You mentioned a case, which is not indicative of a typical rape case, where women are unknowingly attacked, drugged, kidnapped, etc., then violated or brutally raped.
You have date rape, women being drugged then individually [ganged] rape, snatched from the streets held at gun point, in their homes, etc., why mention this case there's no comparison.
Don%u2019t further violate rape victims with this sniveling nonsense, this young woman certainly was no angel and stop portraying her as a starry eyed neophyte , being hypnotized by the %u201Cbig-bad-wolf%u201D--she knew exactly what she was doing, it should infuriate %u201Creal%u201D victims of rape who unknowingly were attacked, or drugged, kidnapped, violently brutalized, date rapped etc.
And this certainly has absolutely nothing to do with someone viciously brutalizing animals, which should repulse any rational, humane, and sane human being.
The Kobe Bryant case was similar to the Duke Scandal, he said she said, this young lady was not brutally raped and it was also brought out in court that Kobe Bryant was not the only man she had se[x] with during this time period, as a matter of fact according to DNA evidence she had relations with several men.
Jamie Foxx, is an AS[S] HOLE, and he should shut his trap before he is "boycotted".
Every time some jackass with a heavy tan gets busted, the first cry is always racism. Hey, raciscm exists, it's ugly, and it should be dealt with. But it doesn't explain how someone with Vick's money could fund and find pleasure in the torture and death of dogs. Vick, if he is guilty, should go to jail and be stripped from the league. Not because he is black. Pete Rose was white, but Pete Rose brought disrepute on baseball and deserved everything he got. If Vick is found guilty, he should receive the same punishment.
I'm a dog owner, and if my dog had been stolen and used as bait, I would have wanted the individual[s] brought to justice and prosecuted, as a matter of fact I think more of my dog's
life than theirs.
To some people their dogs,cats, birds, etc. are like children, so don't undersimplify the issue.
What this type of behavior does it further degrade vunderable youth who look up to these individuals as role models.
I don't care what Jamie Foxx says, if he thinks this is O.K. then he is also part of the problem.
However, this dog thng is quite different because it involves Vick's associates. It may be proven that he didn't know what was going on or he was somehow legally insulated fromt he activity, but right now it looks bad. The name of the kennels is a pretty good indicator of what wuz goin down.
He's guilty and anyone who does such cruel things to animals deserves to be in prison, not on the field.
The media will not point out this hypocrisy. Shame, shame, shame.
They're talking like there may be other big names in entertainment involved - and I'm sure they'll all be charged to their involvement as well.
This is no white or black issue. It's simply a thug finally being caught.
where were the dog lovers during the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham?
Awnser: Same place that Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton went during the Duke case.
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