Vick's Defense Team Divided

[Doomsday101]

ATLANTA -- Sources said Tuesday that Michael Vick’s defense team is divided over a possible plea deal for the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.

Those sources told CBS 46’s Gil Tyree Tuesday that one part of the defense team wants to cut a deal, while the other wants to take its chances with a trial.

Vick and others are accused of running an interstate dogfighting enterprise known as "Bad Newz Kennels" on Vick's property in rural Virginia.

If the Vick case does go to trial, sources said Tuesday that one of Vick's teammates, who is a prominent member of the team, could be called to testify. The sources say the Falcons know about this.

The Falcons did not comment on the case Tuesday night.

Owner Arthur Blank is vacationing at his summer home in Montana.

Report say federal prosecutors have given the Vick defense team until Friday to reach a plea deal or possibly face new charges stemming from the dogfighting investigation.

 

[trickblue]

With all of his cohorts turning on him, he should probably make a deal...

If he can get 3 years or less he should take it IMO...

If he goes to trial and loses, he will get no mercy...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Vick's only hope to ever play again is to cut the best deal he can and serve as little time as possible, (i.e., Jamal Lewis), then go out and reconstruct his image. By that, I mean he must show extreme remorse and beg everyone's forgiveness. He could explain that dogfighting was part of the culture he grew up in and that he now understands how wrong he was and he will pay his debt to society, etc. etc.

America is a very forgiving country if a public figure shows humility and remorse. But if he continues acting like a thug and showing no remorse, his career is over.

With all the controversy surrounding him, there isn't a team who would/could touch him even if he somehow avoided jail time.

 

[Doomsday101]

With all of his cohorts turning on him, he should probably make a deal...

If he can get 3 years or less he should take it IMO...

If he goes to trial and loses, he will get no mercy...

I’m curious who the falcon teammate is that could be asked to testify? I do agree that Vick better look for the best deal he can get because after Friday if he does not cop a plea I think the Feds will nail his hide to the wall.

 

[DCBoysfan]

He needs to cut a deal and call it a day. He could have as much as seven poeple testify against him. And three of the porple are in his 'inner circle'. And this was at a home that he owns, he needs to try to cut a deal and try to do a year or less of jail time.

 

[sago1]

The press is reporting that if Vicks agrees to plead guilty he will be sentenced to 1-2 years in prison. He has until Friday to accept & if he doesn't accept the plea the prosecutor will add additional charges which include gambling. NFL sources believe gambling is even more of a problem then dogfighting as NFL rules specifically cite that an individual could be suspended for life.

 

[zeromaster]

This is great; you'd think the defense team would have considered the possibilities beforehand and had the strategy mapped out, but I guess not.

Somebody sounds like someone still wants to make a reputation with a trial.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Vick's only hope to ever play again is to cut the best deal he can and serve as little time as possible, (i.e., Jamal Lewis), then go out and reconstruct his image. By that, I mean he must show extreme remorse and beg everyone's forgiveness. He could explain that dogfighting was part of the culture he grew up in and that he now understands how wrong he was and he will pay his debt to society, etc. etc.

America is a very forgiving country if a public figure shows humility and remorse. But if he continues acting like a thug and showing no remorse, his career is over.

Unlinely to happen. Vick still believes he didn't do anything wrong.

 

[ZeroClub]

Owner Arthur Blank is vacationing at his summer home in Montana.

I'm not sure that Montana would be far enough away for me.

Guam is supposed to be nice this time of year.

 

[HopeCowboyFan]

Vick needs to plead guilty,
serve his timeand apologize for his actions

He has an outside chance of then being viewed as a sympathetic figure
Jailed and missing prime of career.

Better PR than if he actually goes to trial and somehow won the verict. All that evidence will be on full display for the world to see. Vick can't win in that circus.

 

[Doomsday101]

Vick needs to plead guilty,
serve his timeand apologize for his actions

He has an outside chance of then being viewed as a sympathetic figure
Jailed and missing prime of career.

Better PR than if he actually goes to trial and somehow won the verict. All that evidence will be on full display for the world to see. Vick can't win in that circus.

I don't think many will look at him with much sympathy I think they will see him as a guy who cut a deal to save his own sorry hide. As someone else pointed out I don't think Vick feels he has done anything wrong so how can you ask for forgiveness if you don’t think you did anything wrong?

 

[Zaxor]

With all of his cohorts turning on him, he should probably make a deal...

If he can get 3 years or less he should take it IMO...

If he goes to trial and loses, he will get no mercy...

why do I get the feeling one of those lawyers would like to have his face on TV just like OJ's defense team...

The best thing for Vick is to plea bargain and get it over with...

 

[ZeroClub]

Quicker resolution is better for Vick than a drawn out trial, but the prosecutors know this too.

IMO, it is impossible to know whether Vick should take a plea bargain without first knowing what sort of bargain is available to him.

Also, court cases are difficult to predict, particularly when the defendant has especially skilled representation. Perhaps Vick could beat the worst charges, at least.

 

[peplaw06]

Quicker resolution is better for Vick than a drawn out trial, but the prosecutors know this too.

IMO, it is impossible to know whether Vick should take a plea bargain without first knowing what sort of bargain is available to him.

Also, court cases are difficult to predict, particularly when the defendant has especially skilled representation. Perhaps Vick could beat the worst charges, at least.

The article posted in the other thread indicates that the current offer is one year, and that Vick's team is trying to negotiate down from that.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Anyone else wondering what other professional athletes are squirming in their seats hoping they are not revealed to have taken part in a dogfight or two themselves ??

This seems to be part of the "ghetto", "the hood" or the
"rap" culture.

I can't believe Vick is the only one.

 

[trickblue]

why do I get the feeling one of those lawyers would like to have his face on TV just like OJ's defense team...

The best thing for Vick is to plea bargain and get it over with...

Because there is that faction of lawyers that crave the camera...

But we all know who they are...

 

[Big Dakota]

Quicker resolution is better for Vick than a drawn out trial, but the prosecutors know this too.

IMO, it is impossible to know whether Vick should take a plea bargain without first knowing what sort of bargain is available to him.

Also, court cases are difficult to predict, particularly when the defendant has especially skilled representation. Perhaps Vick could beat the worst charges, at least.

If they actually have VIDEO of the man killing animals like i'v heard, it's not difficult to perdict what his public image would be. His ONLY chance, IMHO, to ever play again is take a deal, brush as much of the UGLY under the rug as possible and never let it come to light.

 

[el_chevo]

Vick's only hope to ever play again is to cut the best deal he can and serve as little time as possible, (i.e., Jamal Lewis), then go out and reconstruct his image. By that, I mean he must show extreme remorse and beg everyone's forgiveness. He could explain that dogfighting was part of the culture he grew up in and that he now understands how wrong he was and he will pay his debt to society, etc. etc.

America is a very forgiving country if a public figure shows humility and remorse. But if he continues acting like a thug and showing no remorse, his career is over.

With all the controversy surrounding him, there isn't a team who would/could touch him even if he somehow avoided jail time.

Good point. I might add that once you have tangled horns with the feds, your chances of winning are almost zero. There is nothing worse than a scared federal employee who has been put on the national media spotlight to handle a high stakes case; the charges will keep coming and coming.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Because there is that faction of lawyers that crave the camera...

But we all know who they are...

A little face time never hurt nobody

 

[peplaw06]

A little face time never hurt nobody

The only bad press is no press