Michael Vick Plea Not Likely This Weekend

Contrary to the expectations of Falcons owner Arthur Blank, and unlike his co-defendants, Michael Vick has not pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the dog fighting ring Bad Newz Kennels, a ring that the co-defendants say Vick financed.

And NFL Network is reporting that people close to the case don't expect Vick to make an announcement about a guilty plea this weekend. So does that mean Vick has decided to fight the charges at trial in November?

No. If Vick had already decided to stand trial, his lawyers would make a public statement along the lines of, "Michael Vick is innocent and he looks forward to demonstrating his innocence at trial." The fact that his lawyers haven't said anything is a strong indication that they're still weighing the possibility of pleading guilty.

All of the reports indicate that Vick is hoping to strike a deal that will allow him to serve less than a year in prison, and he's hoping to have some assurance that a guilty plea won't lead to a lifetime ban from the NFL. But neither the prosecutors nor NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seem willing to make such an agreement.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-18-2007 @ 9:17AM

Roberta said...

After Vick gets out of prison, I think the NFL and the other sports leagues should hire him as an ambassador to sports programs in high schools and colleges around the country. Vick's fall from grace should make the point very clear that athletic ability may lead to financial success and public adulation, but those rewards can be lost in a heartbeat if they are not accompanied by wise decision making and ethical/legal behavior on and off the playing field.

8-18-2007 @ 9:15AM

FCJACKNBOX said...

Arthur Blank needs to cut the Dirty Bird. Let the dirty bird free. Its time to move on for the Falcons organization. This is a team sport and the bad apple needs to rot somewhere else. The fans deserve better than this and so does Atlanta. Gather the troops and lets go to war. I`m willing to still support my team and all ask of them is to give their all. Go down fighting until you can`t give anything more. Joey Harrington is our quarterback so lets get behind him. We will win with him if the team believes in him. Remember this is a professional team. So lets show the rest of the NFL that Michael Vick wasn`t the team. Yes, he brought a special talent, but was not a drop back quarterback. In the NFL, its been proven that a scrambler has not won the big games. Joey might just surprise us. I truly hope so. We, the fans deserve a winner. By the way, the Los Angeles Avengers will be looking for a quarterback in 2010. The new expansion team might be the right fit for Vick.

8-18-2007 @ 9:45AM

Gus in TB said...

IF and that's the opperative word IF Vick does plead out. I'd hope that as part of the plea agreement that Vick be required to provide any and all knowledge that he has on everyone associated with his illegal opperation. Regardless of where it takes them I would hope the investigation leads on.

8-18-2007 @ 9:46AM

Mat said...

With such an image conscious NFL (a league in which you are fined for wearing different colored team shoes), how has this been going on for 6 years without someone, ANYONE, knowing anything about it? Is Michael Vick so elusive as one of the NFL's most popular (not to mention highest paid) athletes, that he could avoid anyone from the league finding out about this?

That said, assuming Vick does time, what are the chances he recieves the same treatment from the NFL that Ray Lewis recieved after watching his friends stab two people to death?

8-18-2007 @ 10:11AM

As I browsed this article and the relating photos, the right margin of this site displayed a video advertisement for an Ultimate Fighting type event...the fastest growing sport in the US. If a company as large AOL can advertise a legal bloodsport without anyone caring, are we really that surprised that a guy who grew up in the projects, someone who has had money shoveled at him for the past 8 years, may have been involved in breeding and betting on fighting animals?

In a few years when dog fighting has become culturaly acceptable, enough so to sell out arenas, maybe Vick could be the commisioner of that league.

Anyway, I've got to go watch some of my "Faces of Death" DVDs. It'll be interesting to see how this thing plays out.

8-18-2007 @ 3:48PM

Bob V said...

If Vick pleads guilty he will be required to tell all he knows and testify against thoose others involved. Who are the others from the other kennels? Are other NFL players involved? Does Vick have more to fear from some of these other fighting dog owners than he has to fear from the NFL? Is Vick the 'Big Man', or the tip of the iceberg?

8-18-2007 @ 5:28PM

Suzanne said...

I'm looking forward to Vick's plea and implications of those involved. The Feds wouldn't offer him a plea unless he had information they were looking for. So I, like everyone, hope he is used to implicate many others. Lastly, Tank Johnson was let go from the Bears for a whole lot less.....nice to see change IS taking place within some parts of the NFL. Go Bears !

8-18-2007 @ 5:41PM

P.S. Looking forward to the states beginning their prosecution of Vick. The state of VA is planning on prosecuting Vick a month or so from now. Wouldn't it be great if each state noted in his indictment prosecuted him as well ? Vick's life is going to be nothing but legal battles and courts. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy....