AP: Authorities Again Raid Vick Property

[David276]

what do you do with the remains of that many dogs, thats just sick. Vick or whoever should go down for this, its not like hes going to pass the falcons to the superbowl anyway

 

[fortdick]

Where does Vick live? Is it in the same town as this particular property? I can see how a property owner does not know what may be going on. I am not saying Vick is innocent. I think he is involved. That doesn't mean it can't happen to property owners. I know people that own properties in other states. They may not know everything that happens on that property.

To answer #5. He hasn't been found guilty of anything. He hasn't even been charged. That is why they have ties to Vick. Patience.

If Vick refuses to return his cousin's pet deposit, we will know he is innocent.

I mean, really, which one of us wouldn't buy a half million dollar home, let his dopey cousin live there for free with his 66 dogs. It is a good investment after all. The buried truck axles only enhance the property value. Not to mention all the biodegradable dog corpses used to conditioner the soil. The bloody carpet is to be expected in a rural environment. It is so dang hard to keep all the bloody mud out.

 

[peplaw06]

Back to topic

Would anyone feel bad if Vick was breeding and fighting lawyers?

Maybe we could convert our justice system by having lawyer fights to determine guilt or innocence. The prosecutor and the defense counsel get thrown into the pit, fight to the death, and if they win, their sides gets the judgement. The losing lawyer gets buried out back by the shed. ACLU lawyers would be eliminated pretty quickly, I would think. Lawyers could then be paid according to their win loss records. The richer you are, the tougher the lawyer you can afford.

On second thought, it is pretty much already like that, isn't it?

I think that would have a better chance of being legalized than dog fighting. No one has any sentimental attachment to them durn lawyers.

I bet Peps could whip any ACLU lawyer alive! Toss 'em into the pit and Peps will rip their ears off first, ham string 'em next, then finish it off with a clenching grip on the throat.

Pffft. ACLU lawyers?? That's like putting a poodle in a fight with a Canary Dog. BTW I want one... that's a scary lookin dog. Looks like a gila monster with about 100 pounds of pure muscle.

 

[fortdick]

I think that would have a better chance of being legalized than dog fighting. No one has any sentimental attachment to them durn lawyers.

Pffft. ACLU lawyers?? That's like putting a poodle in a fight with a Canary Dog. BTW I want one... that's a scary lookin dog. Looks like a gila monster with about 100 pounds of pure muscle.

Yeah, those two lawyers in San Francisco liked theirs' until the dogs killed the neighbor lady and they went to jail for second degree murder.

 

[fortdick]

Pffft. ACLU lawyers?? That's like putting a poodle in a fight with a Canary Dog.

What about lawyers from the Southern Poverty Law Project? Those guys sound tuff!

 

[peplaw06]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...B?slug=ap-vickinvestigation&prov=ap&type=lgns

Feds detail alleged dogfighting operation at Vick property

By HANK KURZ JR. and MICHAEL FELBERBAUM,
Associated Press Writers
July 6, 2007

SURRY, Va. (AP) -- A property owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was used as the "main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved" in an alleged dogfighting operation, according to court documents.

The papers, filed by federal authorities Monday in U.S. District Court in Richmond and obtained Friday by The Associated Press, contain the address of the Vick property that has been the center of the investigation. Vick is not named in the documents.

Friday, federal agents again searched the property. They finished their work at about 4:30 p.m. and declined to answer reporters' questions as they left.

According to the documents, dog fights have been sponsored by "Bad Newz Kennels" at the property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states.

Members of the venture also knowingly transported, delivered and received dogs for animal fighting, the documents state.

Fifty-four animals were recovered from the property during searches in April, along with a "rape stand," used to hold dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified for dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting, the documents said.

The documents said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours. The winning dog would win from "100's up to 1,000's of dollars," and participants and spectators also would place bets on the fight.

Before fights, the participating dogs of the same sex would be weighed and bathed, according to the filings. Opposing dogs would be washed to remove any poison or narcotic placed on the dog's coat that could affect the other dog's performance. Sometimes participants would not feed a dog before the fight to "make it more hungry for the other dog," the documents said.

Fights would end when one dog died or with the surrender of the losing dog, which was sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method, according to the documents.

During a June search of the property, investigators uncovered the graves of seven pit bulls that were killed by members of "Bad Newz Kennels" following sessions to test whether dogs would be good fighters, the documents said.
Members of "Bad Newz Kennels" also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and other states, the filings said.

Friday, federal agents used shovels and heavy equipment to search the Vick property.

A backhoe-front loader was brought in and used to scoop up sections of a cleared wooded area in the rear of the property. The material was dumped into ice-filled coolers and loaded into a rental truck, which left the property.

Some of the investigators wore T-shirts reading: "Federal Agent USDA."
An Associated Press reporter and photographer viewing the investigation in a helicopter could not clearly identify the evidence being collected.
Investigators were digging in an area about 50 yards behind the large white house on the property. About 15 people could be seen on the property, which included kennels and outbuildings.

One of the investigators told reporters assembled outside the property that the search would take a considerable amount of time.

Located in southeast Virginia, the expansive property has a metal gate at the entrance and a fence around the perimeter, which obscured the work of investigators. Fifteen vehicles were on the property, including the rental truck and a Virginia State Police evidence collection truck.

Corinne Geller, a spokesman for the Virginia State Police, said state authorities were working with federal investigators in an "assistance capacity."

Vick has said he rarely visited the property. No charges have been filed.
During an April 25 raid at the property, about half the dogs were tethered to car axles with heavy chains that allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact, an arrangement typical for fighting dogs, according to the search warrant affidavit.

Later, an informant suggested authorities could find as many as 30 dogs buried on the property, including seven buried only days before the initial raid. Surry County officials secured a search warrant but never acted on it because prosecutor Gerald G. Poindexter said he had concerns with the document.

On June 7, the day that warrant expired, federal officials executed their own with the help of state police investigators.

Poindexter publicly questioned the federal government's interest in a dogfighting case. He suggested Vick's celebrity was the draw and raised race as a possible motivation.

Poindexter and Vick are black, as is Sheriff Harold Brown.

Poindexter, who is on vacation in Louisiana, said he was unaware of Friday's search and was still pursuing what he called a parallel investigation.

Vick has said he had no idea the property may have been used in a criminal enterprise and blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. He also put the house up for sale and reportedly sold it quickly, although there is no record that the sale has closed.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

HE is going to be a hot Qb this year!

 

[burmafrd]

One thing seems to be clear: either Poindexter was bought off, or he is one stupid lazy prosecuter.

 

[silverbear]

Too late, I am going to have to make a major issue of the Woo Woo Woo, v. Ooo Ooo Ooo.

In any song, the vocal should lead with a consonant to better project. Instead of "I am a man of constant sorrow", you will hear Dan Tyminski sing, "Hi am a man". This is a common method used to project the tone.

As far as Lycos goes, these are people's opinions of what the lyrics are. An example is the Band's song, "The Night They Drove ol' Dixie Down." The leading lines are:

Virgial Cain is my name
and I worked on the Danville train
Till Stoneman's cavalry came
and tore up the tracks again

Uhhh, that would be Stonewall's cavalry... as in Stonewall Jackson...

 

[silverbear]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...B?slug=ap-vickinvestigation&prov=ap&type=lgns

According to the documents, dog fights have been sponsored by "Bad Newz Kennels" at the property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states.

The documents said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours. The winning dog would win from "100's up to 1,000's of dollars," and participants and spectators also would place bets on the fight.

Before fights, the participating dogs of the same sex would be weighed and bathed, according to the filings. Opposing dogs would be washed to remove any poison or narcotic placed on the dog's coat that could affect the other dog's performance. Sometimes participants would not feed a dog before the fight to "make it more hungry for the other dog," the documents said.

Fights would end when one dog died or with the surrender of the losing dog, which was sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method, according to the documents.

During a June search of the property, investigators uncovered the graves of seven pit bulls that were killed by members of "Bad Newz Kennels" following sessions to test whether dogs would be good fighters, the documents said.
Members of "Bad Newz Kennels" also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and other states, the filings said.

Sounds like the Feds have some pretty specific info, the kind they could have only gotten from informants... I found that part detailing the 7 dogs they found in the last search, and ther easons they were killed, to be particularly compelling...

All that remains now is to connect Vick to "BadNewz Kennels"...

 

[silverbear]

One thing seems to be clear: either Poindexter was bought off, or he is one stupid lazy prosecuter.

Just my opinion, but corruption seems more likely than incompetence here...

We're preparing to saddle up the Draconian Vigilante Squad even as we speak... it won't be as cool as Emilio Estevez shouting "Regulators", but on the plus side, I'm much better looking than he is...

 

[cowboyed]

Just my opinion, but corruption seems more likely than incompetence here...

We're preparing to saddle up the Draconian Vigilante Squad even as we speak... it won't be as cool as Emilio Estevez shouting "Regulators", but on the plus side, I'm much better looking than he is...

What also is disgusting in this entire process is the racial huckstering by Poindexter who is the district attorney. He represents the law and he is conveniently spewing that the key suspect in the investigation, Vick, is being singled out because of celebrity and that there is racial motivation.

This is a significant affront to the vast majority of African Americans who have made great strides in our society relative to centuries of social and legal inequities that finally started being purged with conviction just a few decades ago.

Poindexter is running one heck of a parallel investigation while on vacation in Lousisana, eh. Just like O.J. is still scouring for Nicole's killer while on the golf course. Poindexter probably adapted his self indulgent and myopic perspective from Bill Clinton and earnestness from O.J. Simpson.

After his public comments, how can Poindexter still have a job representing the state and people of Georgia. Poindexter just needs to look at his reflection in a toilet bowl if he wants to find racists.

 

[lspain1]

After his public comments, how can Poindexter still have a job representing the state and people of Georgia. Poindexter just needs to look at his reflection in a toilet bowl if he wants to find racists.

I thought Poindexter was employed in Virginia and not Georgia.

I wonder if the investigation has really uncovered anything tying Michael Vick to this crime or crimes. While the investigation hovers over Vick and the Falcons, I remain unconvinced Vick will ultimately be charged with anything. Vick may lose out in the "court of public opinion" but never be guilty of anything except association with the perpetrators.

The evidence would have to be rock solid and I'm not sure what that would be. Eyewitnesses would be tainted because of the nature of the activities. A paper trail would have to be extensive and incontrovertible (and won't be found digging up the property). I'm not trying to match up with our trial lawyers here at the Zone but common sense tells me this case is a difficult one to tie to Michael Vick even if he actually had knowledge of the activity.

My guess (and that's all it is) is that the case hangs over Vick like a cloud for this season but never results in an indictment or any action by the NFL. If Vick does not have a stellar season, the Falcons may decide the baggage is too great and let him go. The principal beneficiary of the whole thing is Bobby Petrino who will get an additional grace period to turn things around if Vick tanks.

 

[03EBZ06]

As long as there is an ongoing investigation, M. Vick will on the Feds radar. He may or may not be involved but because alleged dog fighting occurred on his property, his name will linger on as long as this is an ongoing investigation.

 

[fortdick]

Uhhh, that would be Stonewall's cavalry... as in Stonewall Jackson...

Stonewall was a Corp commander, not Cavalry. He died in 1863, just three months before Gettysburg. And besides that, why would Jackson have destroyed the main supply train into Richmond. Stoneman was one the Union's best cavalry generals, behind Sheridan. HE was actually responsible for destroying Lee's supplies during the retreat from Petersburg; the retreat that eventually led to Appomatix.

You don't want to argue Civil War trivia with me!

 

[fortdick]

As long as there is an ongoing investigation, M. Vick will on the Feds radar. He may or may not be involved but because alleged dog fighting occurred on his property, his name will linger on as long as this is an ongoing investigation.

His name will linger until one of those charged decides to cut a deal, then they will have him.

The Feds aren't going to stop at just one house full of dogs. They are in it to get the entire organization. They wouldn't fool with it if it was only Vick's dopey cousin they could get.

They may extend this into a RICO thing before it is over.

 

[Viper]

Stonewall was a Corp commander, not Cavalry. He died in 1863, just three months before Gettysburg. And besides that, why would Jackson have destroyed the main supply train into Richmond. Stoneman was one the Union's best cavalry generals, behind Sheridan. HE was actually responsible for destroying Lee's supplies during the retreat from Petersburg; the retreat that eventually led to Appomatix.

You don't want to argue Civil War trivia with me!

Small world, his room mate at West Point was Stonewall Jackson.

 

[Seven]

Stonewall was a Corp commander, not Cavalry. He died in 1863, just three months before Gettysburg. And besides that, why would Jackson have destroyed the main supply train into Richmond. Stoneman was one the Union's best cavalry generals, behind Sheridan. HE was actually responsible for destroying Lee's supplies during the retreat from Petersburg; the retreat that eventually led to Appomatix.

You don't want to argue Civil War trivia with me!

Dude..awesome. That was good, real good.

 

[silverbear]

Stonewall was a Corp commander, not Cavalry. He died in 1863, just three months before Gettysburg. And besides that, why would Jackson have destroyed the main supply train into Richmond. Stoneman was one the Union's best cavalry generals, behind Sheridan. HE was actually responsible for destroying Lee's supplies during the retreat from Petersburg; the retreat that eventually led to Appomatix.

You don't want to argue Civil War trivia with me!

Well, looks like Wikipedia agrees with you, which is news to me... there are other lines in the song that led me to assume that they were talking about Stonewall:

I don't mind them chopping wood
And I don't care if their money's no good
Just take what you need and leave the rest
But they should never have taken the very best...

It always sounded to me like they were talking about Confederates there, not the Union... it was Confederate money that was no good, and why would somebody from Virginia say "just take what you need and leave the rest" about UNION cavalry??

And if you're really such a Civil War buff, surely you know that folks in the South referred to the Stonewall Brigade as "Stonewall's foot cavalry", a tribute to how far and how fast his troops could march in a day... this also led me to believe he was talking about Stonewall, not Stoneman...

As for why they might want to destroy that railroad line, I figured it was to make it tougher for the Union to use those lines to supply the siege that the Union was bound to lay on Richmond... though that siege was indeed after Stonewall's death, I've always thought that even after he died, his corps was still referred to as the Stonewall Brigade, and his foot soldiers as "Stonewall's cavalry"...

I live right smack in the heart of Stonewall Jackson country, indeed the local high school that's 4 miles from my house is Stonewall Jackson High School... the road I live on, Moreland Gap Road, was one of the "escape routes" that Jackson used to escape Union troops when they were closing in on him during the Valley Campaign... he'd use that road, which Union troops were unaware existed (or at least, they didn't know that it went through a small gap in the hills, coming out in Fort Valley up around Strasburg)...

Yup, "Stonewall's cavalry" marched right past where my house now stands... the nearest church to my house was used by the Union Army as a field hospital during the Battle of New Market...

Anyway, I know who General George Stoneman was, but until this thread, it never occurred to me that the song was talking about his cavalry, and not Jackson's "foot cavalry"... it would appear that I was wrong, and you were right...

Now, if it's trivia you're into, don't you find it interesting and amusing that this song about the Civil War was written by The Band's Robbie Robertson, who's Canadian??

You do indeed know your Civil War history... I've learned something today...

 

[Viper]

If you listen to Johnny Cash's version, you can clearly hear him say Stoneman's.