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Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 2874
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 11:55 am: | 
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Suspended NFL star Michael Vick sentenced to 23 months in prison
By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer
AP - Dec 10, 11:13 am EST
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- 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 used "poor judgment" and added, "I'm willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions."
Federal rules governing time off for good behavior could reduce Vick's prison stay by about three months, resulting in a summer 2009 release.
Before the hearing started, Michael Vick's brother, Marcus Vick, sat with his right arm around their mother, comforting her as she buried her head in her hands and wept.
Vick pleaded guilty in August, admitting he bankrolled the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting operation and helped kill six to eight dogs. He has been held at a jail in Warsaw, Va., since he voluntarily began serving his sentence.
In a plea agreement, he admitted bankrolling the dogfighting ring on his 15-acre property in rural southeastern Virginia and helping kill pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights. He also admitted providing money for bets on the fights but said he never shared in any winnings.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank called the sentencing "another step in his legal journey."
"This is a difficult day for Michael's family and for a lot of us, including many of our players and fans who have been emotionally invested in Michael over the years," Blank said.
"We sincerely hope that Michael will use this time to continue to focus his efforts on making positive changes in his life, and we wish him well in that regard."
At a news conference after pleading guilty last summer, Vick apologized to the NFL, the Falcons and youngsters who viewed him as a role model and vowed: "I will redeem myself."
Court papers revealed gruesome details about Vick's dogfighting operation, including the execution of underperforming dogs by electrocution, drowning, hanging and other means. Those details prompted a public backlash against the once-popular NFL star and outraged animal-rights groups, which used the case to call attention to the brutality of dogfighting.
AP - Dec 10, 11:04 am EST
Vick was suspended without pay by the NFL and lost all his lucrative endorsement deals.
Two of Vick's co-defendants were sentenced Nov. 30. Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach got 18 months, Quanis Phillips of Atlanta 21 months. Another co-defendant, Tony Taylor, will be sentenced Friday.
The case began in April when a drug investigation of Vick's cousin led authorities to the former Virginia Tech star's Surry County property, where they found dozens of pit bulls -- some of them injured -- and equipment associated with dogfighting.
Vick initially denied any knowledge about dogfighting on the property. He changed his story after the three co-defendants pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government.
By 8 a.m. Monday, about 50 people were in line outside the courthouse waiting for the doors to open. About two dozen animal rights activists stood across the street holding posters showing injured pit bulls and the messages, "Report Dogfighters" and "Dogs Deserve Justice."
"We want to make sure the focus on the animals in this case isn't lost," said Dan Shannon, spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Julia Novak arrived with her small beagle, Frankie, who wore a sandwich board with the message on one side: "Dogfighters use dogs like me for bait."
Ryan Eanes, 27, of Richmond, wore his No. 7 Vick jersey as he waited in line.
"We all make mistakes," Eanes said. "I don't support the situation with the animals, but I support him. I believe his apology is sincere."
Associated Press writers Hank Kurz Jr. and Zinie Chen Sampson contributed to this report.
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Canary
Regular Poster
Username: Canary
Post Number: 17
Registered: 07-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 01:00 pm: |
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He got caught..there's a lot more like that going on...and they come in many colors...although Black folk seem to be getting the cuff from that to steroid use and whatever...and maybe he is a scapegoat...something is happening here...but he admitted it and it's ugly.
Too bad.
23 months ...there are cases where murderers of Humans have gotten less than that. Or nothing at all. You know the story. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10845
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 01:18 pm: |
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Yes, these are the kind of things that make me very impatient with these fanatical animal lovers. I'm sure the PETA people are ecstatic. They need to be sentenced to 2 years of shovelling dog crap. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 2876
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 03:56 pm: |
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Yep, it's sad but he brought it on himself. He initially lied and stonewalled but he got caught. He knew well in advance what he was doing was illegal and inhumane. Yet he persisted and chose that path. Why? For money? He was one of the most highly paid athletes in pro football (salary and endorsements were worth millions). But I do not rejoice in his downfall because I do feel that it is tragic. No doubt. He has lost everything and he won't get it back. But when you make a conscious choice to indulge in bad behavior and lie about it, well.....there is a price to pay.
When I was in Ohio last month, I talked to my cousin and she told me the police are on a serious man hunt for a dog fighting ring. She noticed some stray menacing looking Pit bulls who were haggard and wounded, walking around the neighborhood. Something she had not seen before. She called Animal Control and they told her what was going on. When the police raided a suspected house, they found 35 dead dogs and scores of others who they had to confiscate. The condition of the animals was horrible.
The dog fighting culture crosses all racial lines. It's a Coon/trailer park white trash blood sport that is widespread. I personally detest it. Yet, I know there are those who will scream and rant about the silliness of people being sentenced to prison for cruelty to animals. Some will even make feeble attempts to spew sympathy for Michael Vicks. Sorry, I'm not one of them. I will admit his sentence is stiff but he admitted everything and confessed his lying and involvement. That cannot be dismissed. Too bad, too sad but he made a choice.
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Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 977
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 03:56 pm: |
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I like animals I even owned a dog once, but this punishment is obsencely out of proportion with the crime.
I'm not sure how the public is served by placing this man in jail. Perhaps distroying his livelihood.
Fine him, get a restraining order to protect other canines, confiscate the materials used, but a year or more in prison is crazy. You know maybe even a good Singaporean caning would be better... |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 2478
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 05:29 pm: |
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Troy, the animal aspects are a red herring in this instance. He is very lucky he only got this amount of time. It is serious business to make money that you do not report to the IRS. And doing this across state lines?...Had those aspects been pursued, he would have been looking at very serious time. This young man needs to thank his lucky stars that the public was so fixated on the harming of puppies or he'd really know what Time is, IMO. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 9748
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 05:53 pm: |
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I don't really give a dayam about WTF happens with Vick. I never really cared for him as football player. Never thought the game lived up to the HYPE. But THIS is some silly sh*t right up & through here.
I mean, killers, drug dealers and child molesters are running rampant throughout the countryside, Bush & Cheney are committing impeachable high crimes and misdemeanors out the a$$ and yet I'm s'pose to be happy that dude's doing time for killin' a frickin' DOG?
KNEEGROWS PUUUUULEASE!
Man. I'd better not get started on this one. Because after I'm done, I'd probably end up having to kill off half of PETA just to stay alive. |
Doberman23
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Doberman23
Post Number: 1112
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 01:28 am: |
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i liked vick and was hopeing that he'd be stuck with maybe just a year or year and a half, but vick is a liar and has gotten away with everything up until now. he will have a long time to set and think about his actions, i hope he will be able to move on with his life once he's released from prison. i hope this also serves a valuable lesson to all the rest of the young black athletes who may get a little too cocky for their own good ... our not above the law, and watch the company you keep. because there is and will always be someone ready to help you fall. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5887
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 12:57 pm: |
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I was pretty pissed when I heard it. I personally know of a man who murdered another in cold blood and got six months and manslaughter after a plea deal (the evidence was not good).
But then again, Vick was not just fighting dogs. He was bankrolling and funding the operation.
And he had been getting into trouble before this--still this is not going to go down very well. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 2886
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 01:25 pm: |
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"i liked vick and was hopeing that he'd be stuck with maybe just a year or year and a half, but vick is a liar and has gotten away with everything up until now. he will have a long time to set and think..........because there is and will always be someone ready to help you fall."
My exact sentiments Bro Dobs! As I have stated before, I do not rejoice at Vicks downfall but I have no sympathy for him. He’s a young, he will survive and hopefully get back on track with his life. After his stint in a minimum security federal incarceration center (I doubt if they send him to a hard core fed pen, no need for that). I must admit I was somewhat surprised that he got that much time since the prosecutors recommended 12-18 months. But the judge was not hearing any of it. He was angry about the lies Vick told and when probations reported that he failed his drug test (he was clearly instructed to not use any kind of illegal drugs prior to his sentencing), that angered the judge even more. Thus he got more than what the prosecutors recommended.
Vick has admitted everything now and has openly stated he is his own worst enemy. He is not a victim. As everyone knows, the Falcons were behind him and he lied his ass off to the entire organization. That was a major let down and loss of integrity because many people, although they did not care about the animal abuse charges, believed him. Now they know he lied. And as you all know, it’s not so much the crime as it is lying in a federal investigation. THAT IN ITSELF IS A FEDRAL CRIME –LYING! You will go to jail for just that. Just ask Martha Stewart, Bill Clinton, Jack Abramhoff, Scooter Libby (although his butt master used his Executive powers to commute his sentence) and soon to be bro Barry Bonds.
A good friend of mine is a lawyer and she works for a District federal judge here in San Diego and we talked in great detail about federal investigations and lying. She told me in no uncertain times, if you lie in a federal inquiry or trial –you will go to jail! She told me she has seen countless people go down (albeit their crimes) for just lying. Vick is going to jail for just that –lying.
Marion Jones knew the consequences of lying to the feds about her steroid use. She, like Vicks, initially denied any wrong doing and use of drugs to the feds. Once the trainer was about to dump the details of her usage in the lap of the feds, she knew her ass was doomed. Jones frantically jumped out front because of the on coming train wreck with the feds, admitted everything and is trying to negotiate with them in order to avoid serious jail time.
One more thing. The state is standing in line next to convict Michael Vick. He is not out of the woods by any means. They can sentence him to more prison time. No one knows exactly what they are going to do at this time but they are interested in beating him down some more. To be honest, I think it will be excessive and pointless if they decide to do so. I don’t like what Vicks did with those dogs (yes, I know many of you are animal haters and could care less) but I think his federal sentence is enough. If he is sentenced to jail time by the state, I’m hoping that it will be concurrent with what the feds gave him. If not, it will be a fu*k story of undeniable proportions for him.
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Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5891
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 02:50 pm: |
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He’s a young, he will survive and hopefully get back on track with his life.
(Nope. He's ruined. Hopefully he will join the Nation of Islam in prison. That or a life of crime are his only choices) |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 2888
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 04:24 pm: |
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"He's ruined. Hopefully he will join the Nation of Islam in prison. That or a life of crime are his only choices..."
Crime is his only choice???? I see.....Well, the crystal ball wisdom of bro Chris has been stated. Michael Vick has no choice but to resign himself to a life of crime after serving time in prison. Oh well.......
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Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5912
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 04:28 pm: |
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FLASH!
There is a rumor that he might only spend a year or less due to a "technicality".
That's more like it |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10900
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 05:19 pm: |
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You know you're really disappointed, chrishayden. Having the system work for Vick takes away the examples of racism you like to cite and criticize in order to reinforce your stale rhetoric.  |
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