Michael Vick To Plead Guilty

Star NFL Quarterback Faces Possible Prison Time And End Of Playing Career

(CBS/AP)  Michael Vick's lawyer said Monday the NFL star will plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, putting the Atlanta Falcons quarterback's career in jeopardy and leaving him subject to a possible prison term.

The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although federal sentencing guidelines most likely would call for less. Vick's plea hearing is Aug. 27.

Lead defense attorney Billy Martin said Vick reached an agreement with federal prosecutors after consulting with his family over 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."

Martin later told The Associated Press he could not divulge any specifics of the plea agreement or how much time Vick can expect to serve in prison.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action while the league conducts its own investigation.

"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 league said in a statement. The NFL added that it has asked the Falcons "to continue to refrain from taking action pending a decision by the commissioner."

Martin 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.

Martin's announcement came as a grand jury that could add new charges met in private. Prosecutors had said that a superseding indictment was in the works, but Vick's plea most likely means he will not face additional charges.

"I don't blame prosecutors for taking the deal," said CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen. "They get to avoid the cost of a long-trial, they get swift sentences for Vick and all the other defendants and they get to focus their energies on other investigations. For the feds, it's a win-win—they held all the cards and played their hand well and this is complete surrender by Vick and the others."

U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson said Vick is not scheduled to visit the courthouse before his hearing next week.

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.

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."

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.

Gambling is taboo for NFL players, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann. Players caught betting potentially face a lifetime ban.

"Vick almost certainly will spend some time in prison—a year or so is my guess—and I would not be surprised if there also are stringent probation requirements, including even some sort of home detention like Martha Stewart had," Cohen said. "And of course all the while Vick's career on and off the field is pretty much on hold."

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.

About a dozen bright red Vick jerseys have been donated — often accompanied by financial contributions — to the Atlanta Humane Society since he was indicted last month. The shelter uses them for dog blankets, and to clean up after the animals.

"Kind of appropriate," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States.

[rob5257]

Oh, and by the way, I saw one article from CBS news on the college kids, and we are still hearing about Natalie Holloway!

[rob5257]

I know what Vick did was wrong, but 35 pages? People need to speak out against real injustices to Americans. Where was your 35 pages of outrage when the criminal illegal aliens executed the college kids and gets out jail for $150,000 dollars? People should have been contacting their Congressmen about this. But no, let''s be politically correct and not talk about the illegals because corporate America wants them here. Maybe you people will wake up when you are a victim of identity theft or have a bullet in the back of your head!

[joyce1505]

Perhaps Mr. Vick should have pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. It seems to work for murdering mothers.

[ghost428]

Does anyone think that the Falcon management didn''t know about this 7 year "hobby" Does anyone think that Vick is the only one in the NFL,NBA fighting dogs ? The only reason the Falcons came forward is the Drug Sting exposed it and there was no way to cover it up.This is about color,not black,not white .....but GREEN!!!!!!

[kittyk49]

The only apology that could mean anything from Vick cannot be heard by the ones that deserve it the most.
They no longer have ears to hear or eyes to see.
I hope the judge will speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. I also hope the NFL will put an end to Vick''s career just as he put an end to the lives his helpless victims.
MIchael Vick, may you NEVER rest in peace. May your dream be tormented with the helpless cries of the innocents.

[nothappyatall]

" offended when Ray Carruth was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend or did she not matter because she wasn''''t a dog"

"It just baffels me that we strike out when people kill animals but not when they kill people.
Posted by INNC"

It has nothing to do with offending, dogs especially are totally dependent on their owners for their care, they can''t fight back because as you know a dog who bites a person gets the needle as a "vicious" dog, this POS used these dogs and abused them for money and blood "sport", tortured and killed them when they didn''t perform for him well enough.
A human murder victim has a chance to fight back in defense or offense, there are loads of laws against harming other PEOPLE- assault, battery, murder, manslaughter and more, and the murderer when caught is sentenced, animals are generally defenseless like children and generally do no harm to anyone, and THAT''S why people get upset.

[luigi999-2009]

Ban the monster for LIFE!

[innc]

All I want to know, is if all of you that are sounding off about this incident with Vick, were this offended when Ray Carruth was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend or did she not matter because she wasn''t a dog.

Everyone knows that Vick was wrong. It just baffels me that we strike out when people kill animals but not when they kill people.

[marcodele]

cmp271: I agree with your outrage over dogfighting. However, there is no need to make this a racial issue. Dogfighting enterprises are wrong no matter what color the humans, or dogs, are.

[cmp271]

Maybe in prison he will be made to feel like the dog he is. Others in prison will not be happy with his cruelty to animals. Maybe justice will be rendered inside. Dogs and cats are like family to those who love them. Anyone hurts my cat or any animal my family owns, God help you because I will get you!!!

If he isn''t banned from football, we all need to BOYCOTT FOOTBALL UNTIL HE IS BANNED FOREVER!!!