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Arpaio: Vick investigated for Arizona dogfighting involvement
July 25th, 2007 @ 3:22pm by KTAR Newsroom, Associated Press
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is being investigated by his office for alleged involvement in pit bull fighting operations in Arizona.
"He's a person of interest as far as my office is concerned," Arpaio said. "I'm not talking about a case. I'm talking about a person of interest regarding pit bull fighting."
Arpaio said Vick's name has been "very familiar" to his office since "a while back."
He confirmed that his detectives have contacted Georgia authorities about Vick after the quarterback was indicted on federal charges involving illegal interstate dog fighting.
After the Vick was indicted last Tuesday, the NFL said it would monitor legal developments in the case.
Vick was ordered by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until the league reviews the dogfighting charges against him.
"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.
The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed.
Goodell told Vick the league would complete its review as quickly as possible and that he expected full cooperation.
The Falcons open camp on Thursday, the same day Vick is scheduled to be arraigned in Richmond, Va., on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation.
Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, last season became the first quarterback ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
After his indictment last week, the NFL's position was that it would monitor developments and allow the legal process to "determine the facts."
Since then, pressure has been mounting on the league and the Falcons, particularly from animal-rights groups.
PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - demonstrated at Falcons' headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga., on Monday and did the same outside NFL offices in New York last week. At the same time, Goodell was meeting with officials from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The league and the ASPCA are working on a program to educate players about the proper treatment of animals.
Activists also put pressure on companies that have endorsements deals with Vick to sever their ties. Nike said it would not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, this summer. Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the four shoe products and three shirts that currently bear Vick's name will remain in stores
http://sports.ktar.com/?nid=45&sid=550691
July 25th, 2007 @ 3:22pm by KTAR Newsroom, Associated Press
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is being investigated by his office for alleged involvement in pit bull fighting operations in Arizona.
"He's a person of interest as far as my office is concerned," Arpaio said. "I'm not talking about a case. I'm talking about a person of interest regarding pit bull fighting."
Arpaio said Vick's name has been "very familiar" to his office since "a while back."
He confirmed that his detectives have contacted Georgia authorities about Vick after the quarterback was indicted on federal charges involving illegal interstate dog fighting.
After the Vick was indicted last Tuesday, the NFL said it would monitor legal developments in the case.
Vick was ordered by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until the league reviews the dogfighting charges against him.
"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.
The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed.
Goodell told Vick the league would complete its review as quickly as possible and that he expected full cooperation.
The Falcons open camp on Thursday, the same day Vick is scheduled to be arraigned in Richmond, Va., on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation.
Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, last season became the first quarterback ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
After his indictment last week, the NFL's position was that it would monitor developments and allow the legal process to "determine the facts."
Since then, pressure has been mounting on the league and the Falcons, particularly from animal-rights groups.
PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - demonstrated at Falcons' headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga., on Monday and did the same outside NFL offices in New York last week. At the same time, Goodell was meeting with officials from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The league and the ASPCA are working on a program to educate players about the proper treatment of animals.
Activists also put pressure on companies that have endorsements deals with Vick to sever their ties. Nike said it would not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, this summer. Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the four shoe products and three shirts that currently bear Vick's name will remain in stores
http://sports.ktar.com/?nid=45&sid=550691
