Vick Charged With Felony! (CLANRAM EXCLUSIVE: COPY OF INDICTMENT)

[r8rh8rmike]

My biggest question is, if Goodell does take action, does the NFLPA come to Vick's defense?

GOOD question. I would think so because of the whole "due process" issue and the fact that they have no apparent moral compass.

My question would be does Vick get judged on his pattern of behavior, including the Ron Mexico lawsuit, the middle finger incident, the water bottle issue and now the Federal indictment. Is there a cumulative effect working here?

[Rambos]

Sad for the Falcon fans, here we are weeks away from camps to start up and this just turns the season into a mess. When I came by the board a fews weeks back and saw Wroten arrested, my heart stop, I really did not want to open that thread and read it. I feel for the fans right now, sad.

[r8rh8rmike]

Sad for the Falcon fans, here we are weeks away from camps to start up and this just turns the season into a mess. When I came by the board a fews weeks back and saw Wroten arrested, my heart stop, I really did not want to open that thread and read it. I feel for the fans right now, sad.

Yeah, life can't be good for Falcons fans right now. They had to know something bad was going to happen with Vick sooner or later though, especially after he flipped off the HOME crowd last year. Losing Matt Schaub can only add to the pain and suffering and knowing Joey Harrington is second on the depth chart certainly doesn't help. Yikes!

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

Yeah, life can't be good for Falcons fans right now. They had to know something bad was going to happen with Vick sooner or later though, especially after he flipped off the HOME crowd last year. Losing Matt Schaub can only add to the pain and suffering and knowing Joey Harrington is second on the depth chart certainly doesn't help. Yikes!

Seriously...the sticky icky in the bottle at the airport and giving that girl herpes didn't help anything either...he like a walking episode of Jerry Springer.

[Nick]

From Rotoworld, citing NFL Network:

NFL Network's Adam Shefter reports that it doesn't look like the league will suspend Michael Vick anytime soon.

The league met Wednesday and examined all the scenarios surrounding Vick. Shefter reports the NFL will take a "step back" and examine the evidence and let the legal process unfold. Vick reportedly wanted to speak to Arthur Blank Wednesday, but it didn't happen. Vick received no indication from Atlanta coaches that the team will give him a leave of absence. At this point, Shefter believes Vick is planning on coming to training camp.

[r8rh8rmike]

At this point, Shefter believes Vick is planning on coming to training camp.

Looks like he might be a few days late:

According to a summons issued Wednesday, the Falcons' quarterback is scheduled to make his first court appearance after being indicted by a federal grand jury on July 26. Vick faces multiple charges related to an alleged dogfighting ring at a home he owned in Virginia. July 26 is the same day the Falcons are scheduled for the initial on-field practice under first-year coach Bobby Petrino.

This is probably just the beginning of what could be a lot of disruptions for the Falcons. Somehow I get the feeling the Feds are not going to work around Vick's schedule.

[AvengerRam]

This could be getting even worse for Vick. Apparently, he may be charged by county officials as well:

Vick likely to face charges in Surry County
By TIM MCGLONE, The Virginian-Pilot
© July 19, 2007
Last updated: 10:53 AM


SURRY COUNTY
Michael Vick will “more than likely” be prosecuted by local authorities in addition to the conspiracy charge he now faces in federal court, Surry County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald Poindexter said Wednesday.
Poindexter’s remark came a day after a federal grand jury indicted the NFL star and three associates. The 18-page document included detailed accusations that Vick helped establish a dog fighting venture in rural Surry County in 2001; gambled heavily on fights, including some in other states; and participated in the execution of dogs that didn’t perform well.
Vick, the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback, is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Richmond next Thursday, the same day the Falcons’ training camp is set to begin. A bond hearing is set for 3:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Dohnal, followed by a 4 p.m. arraignment with U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
James Rybicki, a spokesman for the U.S. a ttorney, said he didn’t expect the government to seek detention for any of the defendants at the hearing.
Poindexter, who has been criticized for stalling on local charges, said he was not sure which crime Vick would be charged with and that any indictment by a local grand jury could be two months away.
“But we’re very moved by the idea of animals being executed,” he said.
Poindexter and Sheriff Harold Brown said the federal case focuses heavily on the interstate aspect of the dog fighting allegations. Any charges Poindexter seeks must rely on crimes committed in Surry County.
Cruelty to animals is a felony in Virginia when the cruelty is inflicted on a companion dog, Poindexter said. Participation in dog fighting also is a felony.
John Seward, chairman of the Surry County Board of Supervisors, said he and “the few people I have talked with” think Vick will never face charges in Surry County because Poindexter, who is black, has been reluctant in the past to prosecute black suspects.
Poindexter dismissed Seward’s comments as false. He said the local investigation has been held up while he waits for federal agents to share crucial evidence. A spokesman for the U.S. a ttorney’s office would not comment Wednesday.
Poindexter said Seward has never called him or the sheriff to discuss the status of the investigation.
“So I don’t know where Mr. Seward is coming from, and I am very disappointed in his remarks,” Poindexter said.
The federal indictment says Vick belonged to an outfit that called itself “Bad Newz Kennels” and based its operation at 1915 Moonlight Road, a 15-acre property Vick bought in 2001. The men fought pit bulls against other groups, including the “Junior Mafia” of North Carolina, “Show Biz Kennels” of New York and “Hard Core Kennels,” according to the indictment, and dogs in the fights carried names such as “Maniac,” “Magic,” “Chico” and “Jane.”
Some of the animals in Vick’s outfit that lost fights or lacked promise were drowned, electrocuted, hanged or shot, the indictment said, and at least one dog was slammed to the ground .
The federal conspiracy charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Surry County has a grand jury scheduled to convene Tuesday, but Brown said that jury likely won’t hear the case. The next grand jury in Surry meets Sept. 25.
Local authorities first searched Vick’s property on Moonlight Road in April after authori ties arrested Vick’s cousin on drug charges. Police found more than 50 dogs and items associated with dog fighting. By June, federal agents conducted their own search of the property. They returned this month, days before the indictments.
The other three men indicted are long time associates of Vick.
Quanis L. Phillips , 28 , also known as “Q,” played football with Vick in high school. He was also listed as a contact to call to buy a dog on a Web site – no longer active – for Vick’s K 9 Kennels.
Tony Taylor, 34, also known as “T,” was listed as the registered agent for MV7 LLC, a company named after Vick’s initials and his jersey number.
Purnell A. Peace, 35, also known as “P-Funk ” or “Funk,” called the Surry County Sheriff’s Office in May to report a break-in and theft of furniture at Vick’s Moonlight Road property.
Federal court records say the operation conducted fights late at night and early in the morning. The indictment says some of the matches took place on the second floor of a shed behind the house.
Poindexter said he thought most people in the county didn’t know about the alleged fights.
“It’s an underground, well-guarded crime,” he said.
The white brick house sits across the street from a small Baptist church and next to a narrow road that winds through farm fields in northern Surry County. The nearest house is about 100 yards away, beyond a thick grove of trees.
A neat white fence wraps around the house on Vick’s property but has recently been taken down in parts. Flowers are planted on the narrow path beside the roadway.
Behind the house, a compound of kennel buildings sits behind a tall, chain-link fence, surrounded by thick woods. The buildings – two much larger than the others – are painted black. The windows are covered with what appears to be black plastic.
Narrow pathways run between the buildings and the chain-link dog pens near the back of the compound.
Before federal agents searched the property earlier this month – their second trip to the house – thick leather collars and heavy metal chains lay scattered on the ground.
Trash cans were filled with plastic chemical bottles bearing labels such as “snake repellent.”
And inside the darkened buildings, medicine bottles for dog supplements were left behind on wooden shelves.

Staff writer Tim McGlone contributed to this report.

Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com
Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com

[BIG-BLUE]

It blows me away that a person like Vick would risk all he has to be associated to such a disgusting crime. It just another case of giving a young man so much money & fame he starts to believe he's above the law & in this case above all human morals.

[Varg6]

It'll be interesting to see if they want to get Culpepper in there. I've also heard from rumor central on ESPN that we're interested in him...Oh Linehan!

[Nick]

I've also heard from rumor central on ESPN that we're interested in him...Oh Linehan!

ESPN's Rumor Central says we could be an option for him, not that we actually are interested. There's a big difference.

[Varg6]

ESPN's Rumor Central says we could be an option for him, not that we actually are interested. There's a big difference.

Excuuuuuuuse me!

[ramsanddodgers]

Semantics wil bite ya in the butt everytime.. particularly when it is a slow news (or rumor) day.....

[Nick]

ESPN is reporting that the league, union, and Falcons themselves may ask Vick to take a voluntary leave of absence until this issue is resolved.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/s...=ESPNHeadlines

[RamsInfiniti]

What a piece of worthless trash. I have a dog at home, my parents have a dog that I am close to, as does my girlfriend. Michael Vick is nothing but a worthless piece of trash coward. I'd honestly give up a year's salary and risk jail time to have five minutes with this guy in a dark alley. I'd make sure that he never worried about dog fighting again ...

[general counsel]

espn is reporting that discussions are under way between vick, the falcons and the league that would lead to a paid leave of absence for vick, which would cause him to miss the entire 2007 season.

ramming speed to all

general counsel