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When football superstar Michael Vick pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to run a dogfighting operation, we knew he had kept about 50 pit bulls on his 15-acre property in rural Surry County. We knew the dogs were chained to car axles near wooden hovels for shelter. And we knew the dogs that didn't fight were beaten, shot, hanged, electrocuted or drowned. But we didn't know their names. Headlines described the nameless dogs as "menacing." Some animal rights groups called for the "ticking time bombs" to be euthanized as soon as Vick's case was closed and they were no longer...

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A suicide bombing at an outdoor dog fighting competition killed 80 people and wounded scores more Sunday, a governor said, in what appeared to be the deadliest terror attack in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Officials said the attack apparently targeted a prominent militia commander who had stood up against the Taliban. He died in the attack. Several hundred people — including Afghan militia leaders — had gathered to watch the event on the western edge of the southern city of Kandahar. Witnesses reported gunfire from bodyguards after the blast; it was not...

(Jan. 27) - His back resting comfortably against her chest, Hector nestles his massive canine head into Leslie Nuccio's shoulder, high-fiving pit bull paws against human hands. The big dog - 52 pounds - is social, people-focused, happy now, it seems, wearing a rhinestone collar in his new home in sunny California. But as Hector sits up, deep scars stand out on his chest, and his eyes are imploring. "I wish he could let us know what happened to him," says Nuccio, the big tan dog's foster mother. Hector ought to be dead, she knows - killed in one of...

NORFOLK, Va. - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has created a holiday e-card featuring former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who is serving a 23-month federal sentence for a dogfighting conspiracy. Vick and three co-defendants raised pit bulls and trained them for fighting at a house Vick owned in rural Surry County. Several dogs that didn’t perform well in test fights were executed. In the card, a cartoon version of Vick paces across a prison yard inside a snow globe as gun-toting guards and their barking dogs keep watch. He’s wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and football helmet...

Five Atlanta Falcons players have been fined a total of $47,500 by the NFL for uniform violations that stemmed from demonstrations of their support for banished quarterback Michael Vick during the team's loss to the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 10. Several hours before the game, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in an illegal dogfighting ring that was centered on property he owned in Virginia. Cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Alge Crumpler each were fined $10,000. Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500. It is not...

RICHMOND, Va. — Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls. The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback could have been sentenced up to five years by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Vick, who turned himself in Nov. 19 in anticipation of his sentence, was wearing a black-and-white striped prison suit. After Vick apologized to the court and his family, Hudson told him: "You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you." "Yes, sir," Vick answered. Vick acknowledged he...

Vick given a 23 month sentence. Plus 3 years of probation. Breaking.

SUSSEX, Va. (AP) - Michael Vick and three co-defendants were indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on state charges related to a dogfighting ring operated on Vick's Virginia property. Vick, who already pleaded guilty in federal court to a dogfighting conspiracy charge and is awaiting sentencing on Dec. 10, was indicted for beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging in or promoting dogfighting. The grand jury passed on indicting the Atlanta Falcons quarterback and two co-defendants on eight counts of animal cruelty, which would have exposed them to as many as 40 years in prison...

Federal investigators are looking into connections between trained fighting dogs bred by a man found shot to death in rural North Carolina and the dogfighting operation headed by suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick. The sheriff investigating the North Carolina killing said he plans to pursue links between the dogfighting groups to see if they can answer any questions in the unsolved homicide. But for now, federal investigators are the ones searching the shooting victim's records for more evidence that might implicate Vick and other members of Bad Newz Kennels in interstate dogfighting, the sheriff said. (snip) "Everybody we've talked to...

After long search, football star finds Jesus “hangin’ out” in courthouse restroom Michael Vick trades up! RICHMOND, VA – They say all dogs go to heaven. Well, after punching more than his share of canine tickets to paradise, Michael Vick seems to have finally found a little salvation for himself. After pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges last month, the world heard Michael Vick proclaim his newfound faith in Christ. “I found Jesus,” Vick told reporters outside the courthouse. “And turned my life over to God.” What most people don’t know is that Vick had actually been looking for Jesus...

Michael Cook | Friday, 31 August 2007 The crimes of Michael Vick When dogs die in Virginia, there's a media frenzy. When patients die in New Orleans, there's silence. NFL quarterback Michael Vick faces 12 to 18 months in jail and the ruin of his brilliant career with the Atlanta Falcons -- for killing six or eight pit bulls and running a dogfighting operation in Virginia. "Barbaric". "Reprehensible". "Odious". The media was outraged. Even a remorseful Michael Vick sniffled that it was "a terrible thing". The leading animal rights groups, the Humane Society and People for the Ethical Treatment...

As someone who once lived in the heart of Newport News, Va., and, in fact, in Michael Vick's school district, I was amused to hear Whoopi Goldberg's assessment that dogfighting is endemic to the Deep South and the sophisticates of our urban jungles do not understand. Vick's supporters sometimes appear to want it both ways. One day he is from the mean streets of Newport News and the next day he is from the Deep South. I happened to live on one of those mean streets of Newport News, and not once did I ever have to dodge bullets after...

Dear Ms. Whoopi Goldberg, don't tell me that torturing animals (dog-fighting) -- "hanging, drowning, and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground" -- is an integral part of Southerners' "cultural upbringing." I've lived in the Deep South for about 5 years, visited family there many times, and vacationed there more times than I can remember. My experiences? Good, decent people, and beautiful cities, countryside, and beaches. So how did this dog-fighting controversy get started? Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was busted red-handed running a chamber of horrors for canines. Not only was he fighting dogs, but torturing them...

NEW YORK -- Whoopi Goldberg started her stint on ABC's "The View" Tuesday by coming to the defense of convicted felon Michael Vick. Just 15 minutes into the show she brought up Vick's conviction on dogfighting charges. "You know from his background this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from," said Goldberg. "There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of our country." Co-host Joy Behar seemed shocked at Goldberg's statements. "How about dog torture and dog murdering," Behar asked.

Taxpayers spared hit from Michael Vick's dogfighting misdeeds BY CHRISTIAN REDDAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERSaturday, September 1st 2007, 7:41 PM John Goodwin, the deputy manager for animal cruelty issues for The Humane Society of the United States, says that another negative fallout from dogfighting cases is that "the taxpayer gets hit" with the costs of housing and caring for the animals."That's one more cost of the (Michael) Vick case and these cases," says Goodwin. "These animal-control centers are municipal buildings funded by the government, so the taxpayer gets hit as a result."In the case of Vick, the disgraced Atlanta Falcons...

USC running backs coach Todd McNair, a former NFL player who is in his fourth season with the Trojans, was twice convicted on charges related to mistreatment of dogs in the 1990s, according to reports. "I really don't want to comment on something 14 years ago, and especially something I was cleared for," McNair said Tuesday night. McNair was never convicted of dogfighting. Coach Pete Carroll said he became aware of the incidents about a week ago and addressed them with McNair. The incidents came to light again on the website BruinsNation.com. "We looked into it to make sure we...

USC assistant football coach Todd McNair said Wednesday that reports detailing his two 1990s convictions for mistreating dogs did not "accurately portray" what actually happened. "I understand the interest about the thing in light of all that's gone on in Virginia with the [Michael] Vick case and everything," he said in an interview outside USC's Heritage Hall. "But my case was totally different from that. . . . I was cited for neglect. I wasn't convicted for abuse." McNair, who is about to begin his fourth season as the Trojans' running backs coach, was charged with cruelty to animals, failure...

A Boston judge sentences a man to probation and home confinement after his admission that he abducted and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy. A Nebraska judge sentences a convicted sex offender to probation and electronic monitoring because she fears for the mentally impaired man"s safety in prison. A Vermont judge sentences a child molester to 60 days in jail in order to facilitate his prompt treatment. Justice is hardly blind, if only because it is meted out by the colossal imperfection known as the human. And judges are as human as the person who comes to your home to fix...

Michael Vick was always something of an Allen Iverson for Atlanta. Without him, the team is terrible, and with him, the team can never be great. He’s a wonderful athlete who dominates little more than the highlight reel. Truth be told, I seriously doubt the Falcons would have ever succeeded with Vick at the helm. As far as I’m concerned, the dog-fighting scandal was one of the best things that could have happened to the Falcons. They had to get rid of him somehow, even if they didn’t want to accept it. Michael Vick had a special appeal with the...

Dog fighting case unmasks fixers' of US sport By Tim Shipman in Washington, Sunday Telegraph Last Updated: 1:42am BST 26/08/2007 When American football star Michael Vick enters a guilty plea in a Virginia courtroom tomorrow on dog fighting charges, he will not be the only one facing judgment. Michael Vick arrives at court in Virginia last month The disgrace of one of the sport's most exciting young players - who plays for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League (NFL) - has drawn attention to what critics say is a culture of criminality and cover-up in US professional sport....

In a June 2000 photo shoot for a story in SI's College Preview issue, Vick was photographed with his pit bull Champagne. Read enough legal documents -- indictments, subpoenas, lawsuits -- and you begin to think of some lawyers as artists. They can write a sentence that appears simple, its point obvious, but if you read it again and again the meaning changes. It becomes more like poetry than legalese, everything subject to your own interpretation. The statement of fact filed Friday in a federal courthouse in Richmond, Va., as part of the plea agreement for Falcons quarterback Michael Vick,...

For all the big words and life lessons Roger Goodell included in his booming reaction to Michael Vick's admission of involvement in dogfighting, the NFL commissioner's message seemingly could have been whittled to two words: Nice try. Goodell suspended the Atlanta Falcons quarterback indefinitely without pay Friday, just hours after Vick filed a plea agreement that portrayed him as less involved than three co-defendants and guilty mainly of poor judgment for associating with them.

Atlanta Falcons Quarterback To Plead Guilty To Lesser Charges (CBS News) RICHMOND, Va. The National Football league has suspended Michael Vick indefinitely after he pleaded guilty to charges related to dogfighting on Friday. Vick filed his plea agreement in federal court Friday admitting to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and helping kill pit bulls. He denied ever betting on the fights, only bankrolling them. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback is scheduled to formally enter his plea Monday in U.S. District Court. He signed the plea agreement Thursday. "Most of the Bad Newz Kennels operation and gambling monies were provided by Vick,"...

Deputies with the Maricopa County sheriff's office raided the Cave Creek, Arizona, home of rapper DMX on Friday morning (August 24), and according to a police spokesperson, 12 pit bulls were removed from the residence, all in bad condition. Police would not get into specifics but did say the animals are being tended to by veterinarians. At this point, DMX (real name: Earl Simmons) has not been officially charged with any crime, but police are still investigating. DMX was not at his home at the time of the raid, during which police also discovered a large cache of weapons. Police...

Hounding Vick While ranting about NFL quarterback Michael Vick for his alleged dog fighting activities, CNN talker Nancy Grace added another charge to her brilliant "legal" brief: Vick's been rapin' on the bitches. By that she meant inseminating bitches that "refused" to breed. The exact crazy quote has Grace say the following to her equally indignant guest: "You left out the rape stand, where female dogs that don't want to breed are raped, essentially." In Graceland, canines must consent before being bred, or is it "having sex." Nancy didn't indicate whether she was as passionate about the "violations" visited upon...

Vick signs plea deal in federal dogfighting case By DAVE FORSTER, The Virginian-Pilot © August 24, 2007 | Last updated 1:38 PM Aug. 24 Michael Vick has agreed in a plea deal with federal prosecutors that he supported a dogfighting enterprise from 2001 to 2007 and that he provided most of the gambling money that his co-defendants used to bet on matches, according to a signed summary of facts released today in the case. Vick is scheduled to plead guilty on Monday in U.S. District Court in Richmond to one felony count of conspiracy that is punishable by up to...

Michael Vick's father said he asked his son to give up dogfighting, or to at least put property used in the venture in the names of others to avoid being implicated, according to a report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Michael Boddie, who is estranged from Vick and the quarterback's mother, also said some time around 2001 his son staged dogfights in the garage of the family home in Newport News, Va. Boddie told the newspaper Vick kept fighting dogs in the family's backyard, including dogs that were ``bit up, chewed up, exhausted.'' Boddie claimed to have nursed the dogs back...

www.capitalnews9.com Animal advocate bites back after Marbury comments on Michael VickUpdated: 8/21/2007 9:22:43 AMBy: Britt Godshalk "I was pretty disappointed," Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society Executive Director Brad Shear said after hearing comments New York Knick Stephon Marbury made just after Michael Vick's plea deal on federal dog fighting charges. While promoting his own basketball shoe Monday, Marbury spoke on the situation.He said, "I think it's tough. I think, you know, we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dog fighting is a sport. It's just behind closed...

rue to our American ideals, reaction to Michael Vick’s involvement in dog fighting has touched every conceivable emotion. NBA guard Stephon Marbury had a novel interpretation. He called dog-fighting a sport and compared it to deer hunting. His comments immediately became fodder for every talk-show on the map. Talking-heads everywhere have reacted as if Marbury just flew in from Mars. I would rather give Marbury the benefit of the doubt and stop the latest round of moral outrage. The product of an inner-city, east-coast upbringing, Marbury’s life experiences are vastly different from those who grew up in a deer-hunting culture....

It's been a hoot reading and listening to pundits and armchair legal analysts speculate on the fate awaiting Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on charges of illegal dogfighting. First the easy part: You can expect Vick to be handed a harsher sentence than the one year being bandied about by some observers. The judge has already said the acts described by Vick's co-conspirators suggest "aggravating" circumstances. Often that means a sentence more harsh than lenient. With Vick as the major, if not only, source of funding for the operation, it's likely the judge will view him as the ringleader of...

Warning! Graphic Images Repeated from two weeks ago because of Vick taking the plea deal Liberals Demand Tough New Laws to Protect All Animals … Buy Only Animals by Ricky Acuchillador Gee, all segments total, self-righteous liberal America were outraged by Michael Vick’s admittance of guilt for interstate trafficking of fighting dogs, which included hanging eight, and ripping others alive limb by limb. How about asking them what they think of unborn Humans?Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, along with Suzie Drempt, executive vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, appeared on the Glitzer Hoof program...

RICHMOND, Va. -- Michael Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, a deal that leaves the Atlanta Falcons quarterback facing up to 18 months in prison and puts his NFL career in jeopardy. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Vick be sentenced to between a year and 18 months in prison, according to a government official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been made final. That would be a higher penalty than is usually recommended for first-time convicts, and reflects an attempt by the government...

RICHMOND, Va. -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick accepted a plea deal Monday to avoid additional federal charges in a dogfighting case and now faces a likely lengthy prison sentence. "After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick has asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding charges pending against him," Billy Martin, one of Vick's attorneys, said in a statement. "Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made. Michael wishes to...

The Michael Vick Experience used to be a commercial, with the scrambling quarterback's exploits turned into an imaginary thrill ride at an amusement park. "Welcome to my ride," said Vick in the Nike spot. He then gave a babble of instructions, including "Buckle your chin strap," to riders in a roller-coaster chair. It was going to be a rough ride. Now the Michael Vick Experience seems abhorrent. He has become to many fans the symbol of the pathology of modern pro athletes. They are rich men who are, like the name of the kennels Vick is alleged to have financed,...

RICHMOND, Va. - It's up to Michael Vick now. His last two co-defendants pleaded guilty Friday and implicated Vick in bankrolling gambling on dogfights. One of them said the Atlanta Falcons quarterback helped drown or hang dogs that didn't do well. With his NFL career in jeopardy and a superseding indictment adding more charges in the works, that left Vick with a hard choice: Cutting his own deal to hold jail time under a year or go to trial and sit through detailed descriptions of the ghastly operation known as "Bad Newz Kennels."Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Purnell Peace of...

RICHMOND, Va. -- There was no word Friday morning on whether Michael Vick had agreed to a plea agreement with federal prosecutors -- or whether the embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback would take on the federal government in a jury trial on dogfighting charges. Vick, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, was widely reported to be considering a deal. His attorneys were still negotiating with federal prosecutors as of Thursday, hoping to strike a deal on a plea agreement, a lawyer familiar with the case told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. A report in The...

GREENSBORO, N.C. — An animal shelter may have to euthanize healthy, adoptable dogs because it must care for 15 pit bulls seized from the property of a man charged with dogfighting and animal cruelty.

Vick offered plea deal recommending at least a year in prison By DAVE FORSTER , The Virginian-Pilot © August 16, 2007 Federal prosecutors have offered Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick a plea deal that would recommend he serve at least one year in prison on a felony dogfighting conspiracy charge, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. Vick has until 9 a.m. Friday to accept the offer or he could face additional charges when a grand jury convenes next week in U.S. District Court in Richmond, one of the sources said. At least two of Vick's attorneys have been...

With two more co-defendants distancing themselves from Michael Vick, the embattled Falcons quarterback was considering on Monday whether to accept a plea agreement for his alleged role in a dogfighting operation. Sources told ESPN's Kelly Naqi that Vick attorneys Larry Woodward and Billy Martin met with federal prosecutor Michael Gill and the investigators on Monday afternoon. The attorneys planned to speak with the quarterback in the evening to see what direction he wants to go in. That comes on the heels of news that co-defendants Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips are scheduled to appear in federal court in Richmond at...

Robert Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat, referred to this act as "barbaric." In case you missed it the first time, he repeated it. Again. And again. And yet again. Byrd acknowledged that he's witnessed one execution in his life, but wouldn't mind seeing another "if it involves this cruel, sadistic, cannibalistic business." The gentleman from West Virginia got pretty worked up over the whole thing. "How inhuman! How dastardly!" bellowed the senator. But wait. There's more! "Barbaric!" he yelled. "Let that word resound from hill to hill, and from mountain to mountain, and valley to valley across the broad land....

The two remaining co-defendants in the Michael Vick federal dogfighting case scheduled a plea agreement hearing Monday, an indication that they will plead guilty and testify against Vick. Purnell Peace has a hearing set for 9 a.m. Thursday and Quanis L. Phillips has a hearing set for 9 a.m. Friday in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va., before District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Last month, the third co-defendant Tony Taylor accepted a deal and entered a guilty plea. The agreement required him to testify against the others.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference Will Honor Michael VickPosted Aug 4th 2007 2:28PM by Dan BentonFiled under: Falcons, NFL Gossip, NFL Rumors, AtlantaThe Southern Christian Leadership Conference will gather to celebrate the organization's 50th anniversary this evening, with other festivities running through Wednesday. As part of their get together, the SCLC will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., the promise of Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama and the ... Well, the something of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Although the SCLC did not specify how it will honor Vick, they did claim he would be recognized at some point....

Warning! Graphic Images Michael Vick Hysteria Liberals Demand Tough New Laws to Protect All Animals … Buy Only Animals by Ricky Acuchillador Gee, total liberal america were outraged by michael vick’s alleged treatment of dogs. How about asking them what they think of unborn Humans? Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, along with Suzie Drempt, executive vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, appeared on the Glitzer Hoof program on CNN to discuss the indictment of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for promoting dog-fights, as well as for torturing and slaughtering dogs not considered fit for...

The difference between those sporting Michael Vick jerseys and those urging his swift conviction on dogfighting charges is glaring: Vick's supporters are mostly black; his critics are mostly white. The racial divide emerged early in the case against the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, apparent at rallies filled with cheering and overwhelmingly black Vick supporters and at anti-Vick protests that are noticeably white.

RICHMOND, Va. - The difference between those sporting Michael Vick jerseys and those urging his swift conviction on dogfighting charges is glaring: Vick’s supporters are mostly black; his critics are mostly white. The racial divide emerged early in the case against the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, apparent at rallies filled with cheering — and overwhelmingly black — Vick supporters and at anti-Vick protests that are noticeably white. Vick’s opponents say the evidence against him is overwhelming. For many black supporters, that judgment evokes uncomfortable questions about race and guilt in America. “White folks 'been grindin’ on an ax ... and that...

LOS ANGELES -- A man working as a caretaker at a residence owned by actor Ving Rhames was found dead on the property Friday morning after being mauled by two dogs, authorities said. The man died at the scene of the attack, which was reported about 7:15 a.m. in the 12900 block of San Vicente Boulevard, said Los Angeles police Officer Sandra Gonzalez. His name was withheld pending notification of relatives.

Many of these participants lack any respect for the dogs and numerous dogs are bred to be a threat to other dogs as well as humans. These dogs often have their ears and tails cut off. Even though pit bulls exhibit high levels of aggression toward other dogs, they are considered loyal and gentle companion animals. Today, the increasing level of aggression from dogs is a result of poor training and breeding. A fighting dog’s life is typically miserable from beginning to end. They often live in dreadful conditions at the end of a chain. Fighting dogs that are defeated...

In stark contrast to its position on last year's Duke non-rape case, the NAACP has urged the public not to judge Michael Vick before he has his day in court. In a news conference early this morning, Atlanta NAACP President R.L. White charged that the Atlanta Falcons star quarterback's suspension and sponsor desertion amounted to premature punishment, adding that, "If Mr. Vick is guilty, he should pay for his crime, but to treat him as he is being treated now is also a crime. Be restrained in your premature judgment until the legal process is completed." And, while one can't...

One of Michael Vick's co-defendants pleaded guilty this morning to his role in an interstate gambling and dogfighting ring.

RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick was due in federal court Thursday to start a legal process that jeopardizes not only his career, but also his freedom. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback was expected to appear at a bond hearing and enter a plea on dogfighting conspiracy charges. Vick is accused with three others of conspiracy involving competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting, and conducting the enterprise across state lines. Federal prosecutors allege the operation — known as Bad Newz Kennels — operated on Vick's property in rural Surry County. The grisly allegations detailed in an 18-page indictment sparked...