RUMOR: Vick to cop a plea

[Doomsday101]

Ok, but do you really believe he is going to one of the rough ones? If his lawyers were smart that would be part of the plea bargain.

I don't know what the judge will do. I'm no lawyer but I would not think he will get to pick his accommodations.

 

[iceberg]

I agree Big. If it were Joe Citizen, he'd be doing 5 years. I understand it's Vick but to me, that just makes it worse. He's not doing it for the money or to support a family, like that. He's doing it because he gets off on it. Another words, because he feels like it and that sucks.

I'd have to say that I would be very disappointed if he only got a year.

why else would *anyone* do it?

and as much as i hate to say it - we can yell that "if it were joe blow he'd get a lot more!" but then again, if it were joe blow he'd not lose a million dollar job, millions more in endorsements, and have the whole world know about it to follow him around for the rest of his life.

if it were joe blow we'd not give a damn one way or another. that's a dual issue to me.

 

[iceberg]

Yeah, something's wrong w/that picture.

was this a DUI where someone was killed vs. someone killing dogs for years in the most viscious ways he could think of?

on the surface yea, it's odd. in detail, well, i don't know enough of the human killing part but i don't think it's a pair of apples being compared even if different in animal vs. human.

 

[trickblue]

he only did 90 days. kinda makes me wonder about this country's priorities really.

kill a person get 90 days kill a dog and you get a year.

Vick's will be appropriate...

The judge that sentenced Little to 90 days, should serve the 12-15 years he SHOULD have gotten...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Vick's will be appropriate...

The judge that sentenced Little to 90 days, should serve the 12-15 years he SHOULD have gotten...

Ding Ding Ding.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

why else would *anyone* do it?

and as much as i hate to say it - we can yell that "if it were joe blow he'd get a lot more!" but then again, if it were joe blow he'd not lose a million dollar job, millions more in endorsements, and have the whole world know about it to follow him around for the rest of his life.

if it were joe blow we'd not give a damn one way or another. that's a dual issue to me.

I understand what you are saying. He's got more asset to lose but lets break that down. If I'm Vick and I lose 70 million, I'm busted. If I'm Joe Blow and I lose my 50K a year job, I'm busted. How's that different if you really stop to think about it? You end up in the same place and to me, that's fair. I will never have the opportunity to make the kind of money Vick has made. That's not my fault, thats just nature. Vick had it and threw it away. To me, he doesn't deserve special treatment because of it. He's had special treatment most of his life and look where it's gotten him? No, I say more time is in order.

 

[iceberg]

I understand what you are saying. He's got more asset to lose but lets break that down. If I'm Vick and I lose 70 million, I'm busted. If I'm Joe Blow and I lose my 50K a year job, I'm busted. How's that different if you really stop to think about it? You end up in the same place and to me, that's fair. I will never have the opportunity to make the kind of money Vick has made. That's not my fault, thats just nature. Vick had it and threw it away. To me, he doesn't deserve special treatment because of it. He's had special treatment most of his life and look where it's gotten him? No, I say more time is in order.

well except i don't think he's getting special treatment.

if you went and applied elsewhere for a job they'd not know you instantly and have a pre-formed opinion.

if you were at a park chilling out on a warm summer day, you'd not have dog owners flinging poo at you and calling you names.

there is no "100%" justice regardless of circumstances - that's all i'm getting at. if his "legal" sentence is rather light the public will make up for it. vick can't go anywhere now w/o being tagged a dog hater by much of the population.

the price of fame.

again, you or i did it, no one would know or care.

 

[iceberg]

from espn - no deal yet but speculation abound:

Vick, attorneys still negotiating plea agreement
Associated Press

Updated: August 16, 2007, 3:32 PM ET
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RICHMOND, Va. -- Michael Vick and his attorneys were still negotiating with federal prosecutors Thursday, hoping to strike a deal on a plea agreement, according to a lawyer familiar with the case.

The lawyer spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because of the ongoing discussions.

The Atlanta Falcons star quarterback pleaded not guilty to dogfighting conspiracy charges last month. But since then, one of his co-defendants has changed his plea to guilty and agreed to testify against Vick, and two others are scheduled to do likewise Friday.

Prosecutors, meantime, have said they will seek a superseding indictment this month. Legal experts say the growing parade of prosecution witnesses and the prospect of additional charges increases the pressure on Vick to negotiate a deal.

Collins R. Spencer III, spokesman for Vick's five-member defense team, declined to comment. Vick is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 26.

It's highly unlikely prosecutors would offer Vick a specific reduced sentence in exchange for a guilty plea, according to Steven Benjamin, a prominent Richmond defense attorney. He said federal rules permit such agreements, subject to the judge's approval, but they simply are not used in the Richmond federal court.

"If we were to see that in this case, it would be extraordinary," he said.

Instead, prosecutors sometimes offer concessions that would result in a lower range under federal sentencing guidelines, Benjamin said. For example, prosecutors could pledge not to take the position that Vick was a leader of the dogfighting ring.

"If the judge accepted that finding, it would have the effect of reducing his sentencing guideline range," Benjamin said.

A number of other factors are considered in determining that range, including the defendant's sincerity in accepting responsibility and the extent of his cooperation with the government in ongoing investigations, Benjamin said.

Rough calculations based on what is known in Vick's case indicate that a guideline range of eight to 12 months "would not be unrealistic," said Benjamin's law partner, Betty Layne Desportes. The charges -- conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture -- carry a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine.

Tony Taylor of Hampton pleaded guilty to those charges last month and will be sentenced Dec. 14. Co-defendants Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, will enter plea agreements Friday morning.

According to the statement signed by Taylor as part of his plea agreement, Vick financed virtually all of the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting enterprise on Vick's property in Surry County, Va.

Taylor's statement and the July 17 indictment also linked Vick to betting on the dogfights, which could result in a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's policy against gambling. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action until the league completes its own investigation.

The case began with the April search of the Surry County property. Investigators found dozens of pit bulls, some of them injured, as well as equipment commonly used in dogfighting.

The indictment said dogs that lost fights or fared poorly in test fights were sometimes executed by hanging, electrocution or other means. The details have fueled public protests against Vick and have cost him some of his lucrative endorsement deals.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

 

[iceberg]

wow - lifetime ban possible from the NFL should he plea:

Taylor's statement and the July 17 indictment also linked Vick to betting on the dogfights, which could result in a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's policy against gambling. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action until the league completes its own investigation.

to have the world in the palm of your hand and not be smart enough to realize how fragile it is.

 

[the kid 05]

wow - lifetime ban possible from the NFL should he plea:

Taylor's statement and the July 17 indictment also linked Vick to betting on the dogfights, which could result in a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's policy against gambling. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action until the league completes its own investigation.

to have the world in the palm of your hand and not be smart enough to realize how fragile it is.

he'll probably have it worded that it shows that he held the fights on his property but did not bet upon the games

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Yeah, something's wrong w/that picture.

Agreed.


On a side note. Say Vick gets banned from the NFL.

He still has made and can live off of the money he has made over the 6-7 years he has been in the NFL...in the tens of millions.

 

[fortdick]

Well, so much for the innocent until proven guilty thing, eh? Why would an innocent man be negotiating?

I will say it before our brother North of the Border (and South of common sense) says it:

He wouldn't be negotiating if it wasn't for those rat bastids!

I just love it when a criminal says, "I wouldn't be in prison if my crime partner hadn't ratted me out!"

 

[Facin'Fools]

leonard little killed someone went to jail and plays for the Rams as we speak.

He killed some one drunk drivin...I didn't know he served jailtime....I do know that the widower is a photographer for the St.Louis Rams and he refuses to take any picture that have Leonard Little in them

 

[Doomsday101]

he'll probably have it worded that it shows that he held the fights on his property but did not bet upon the games

I don't think his word means much to Goodell and Blank right now. I also don't think the NFL action against him will be based upon his plea deal with the Feds.

 

[fortdick]

I don't think his word means much to Goodell and Blank right now. I also don't think the NFL action against him will be based upon his plea deal with the Feds.

IMHO, he should be banned for at least 3 years. HE lied to everyone about his involvement, including Goodell. It is one thing to do the deed, but to lie to the world about not having sex.......(sorry, got confused)........being involved in the dog fighting business is another.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

well except i don't think he's getting special treatment.

if you went and applied elsewhere for a job they'd not know you instantly and have a pre-formed opinion.

if you were at a park chilling out on a warm summer day, you'd not have dog owners flinging poo at you and calling you names.

there is no "100%" justice regardless of circumstances - that's all i'm getting at. if his "legal" sentence is rather light the public will make up for it. vick can't go anywhere now w/o being tagged a dog hater by much of the population.

the price of fame.

again, you or i did it, no one would know or care.

I agree, there is no 100% justice but having said that, I think that I would personally require more then 1 years worth on this. Lets not forget that he's being charged with far less then he could be charged with. He's not being charged with dog fighting, gambling, racketering or whatever else. Only Conspiracy. To my way of thinking, he's already getting off easy.

No, I'm not in favor of this Ice. I just think he should have to serve more time.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

He was probably told by his lawyers to deny. Nothing wrong with doing so in my view.

 

[Doomsday101]

IMHO, he should be banned for at least 3 years. HE lied to everyone about his involvement, including Goodell. It is one thing to do the deed, but to lie to the world about not having sex.......(sorry, got confused)........being involved in the dog fighting business is another.

I have no idea of what the league will give him but I will say whatever it is he has no one to blame but himself.

 

[fortdick]

I agree, there is no 100% justice but having said that, I think that I would personally require more then 1 years worth on this. Lets not forget that he's being charged with far less then he could be charged with. He's not being charged with dog fighting, gambling, racketering or whatever else. Only Conspiracy. To my way of thinking, he's already getting off easy.

No, I'm not in favor of this Ice. I just think he should have to serve more time.

I don;t think the time he serves is as important as the label he will get. He is a crook. He is a liar. He will have to carry that everywhere with him. No more endorsements. Lucky if he ever plays again. You can;t really sit out a couple years and then expect to waltz in and take over a QB spot on an NFL team. It isn't like he was all that good to start wsith and without constant training and conditioning, he wouldn't be able to play his game.

Give him one year in jail, a three year suspension and be done with him. He will blow all his money intertaining his posse (the one's that didn't tell) and be broke in 10 years.

His story will be worse than Quincy Carter's.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

He was probably told by his lawyers to deny. Nothing wrong with doing so in my view.

Well, if he denies it, then I don't think you can say that he's showing remourse and acceptance of responsability, which is a pre-requisit if he's going to get the 8 months to a year thing.

Can't be both ways.