http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2983121
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 apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter.
The terms of Vick's prison term are not yet known.
All three of Vick's co-defendants have reached plea deals in the case. Vick had been facing a Nov. 26 trial date.
Vick's last two co-defendants pleaded guilty Friday and said he bankrolled gambling on dogfights at the quarterback's property in rural Surry County, not far from his hometown of Newport News. One said Vick helped drown or hang dogs that didn't do well.
Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach entered plea agreements and agreed to testify against Vick. Tony Taylor of Hampton struck a similar deal last month.
The gambling allegations alone could trigger a lifetime ban under the NFL's personal conduct policy.
The NFL has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action while the league conducts its own investigation.
Peace, Phillips and Taylor pleaded guilty to the same charges facing Vick: conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.
The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Their sentencings are set for November and December.
He didn't have much of a choice after all 3 of his guys rolled over on him.
Funny that his attys released this statement. They just had the US Atty on Fox News, and he said "Contrary to what is being reported, this office has received to plea agreement."
What's even better is that if and when he pleads guilty, Falcons owner Blank can void his contract under conduct rules. Vick told Blank and the Commish point blank that he had nothing to do with it. He signs a paper saying he did, the he lied to the League.
He will start for the Raides next year after they trade the first pick for him.
He will start for the Raiders next year after they trade the first pick for him.
If Vick spends a year in jail and then is suspended for even one year, he won't be playing football until at least 2010.
Michael Vick is a de able human being. I'd be happy if I never had to hear anything about him again.
im pretty sure the 1 year suspension would be effective immediately, meaning once he spends his year in jail he would be eligible to play football again.
The league will suspend him after he gets out.
thats kind of wack..... now i know why they call it the NO FUN LEAGUE
If Dave Chappelle still had his show there would be a a sketch about him.
That would be a ridiculous decision; Mike Vick certainly couldn't play in the NFL while imprisoned -- the Commissioner isn't going to have his punishment run concurrently with the government's punishment because that would provide no NFL punishment. The purpose of the NFL punishment is to make an example for others about what will and won't be tolerated from NFL players; if the league suspends Vick during his imprisonment, that lesson is completely lost.
In any event, various reports that I've heard over the weekend (particularly Peter King on Sunday Night Football) have made clear that the league intends to mete out its own punishment after the prison time expires. As such, Vick's gone for the length of his incarceration and for at least another year after that.
Packman is now an angel compared to vick. 130 million to jail.
He doesn't deserve to ever play again.
I get the "paid his price" with jail time and a league suspension, but he's an animal.
He shouldn't ever be allowed to play professionally again.
He's an embarrassment. A cruel, cold hearted embarrassment.
So what now for all the assholes here that think he was an innocent bystander. I can hear it now...
"Vick didn't do anything but rather risk a longer sentence he took the plea but he still didn't do it"
Clinton portis had some intelligent comments on the Vick situation. What the big deal about Mike Vick fighting his dogs. I know some people on some back roads in Mississippi where they have dog fights all the time.
Which is exactly the only thing Vick could salvage.
This is the problem with plea bargains. No discovery. Lots of doubters.
Are you talking about Michael Vick or Leonard Little? Or Ray Lewis? I'm so confused.
I think a NFL suspension of 1 1/2 to 2 seasons after he gets out of jail should be good enough. If he can somehow only do 1 year I think he could still get a decent shot somewhere. If he gets 3 to 5 years he's done in the NFL.
Does someone here know if you get time reduced for good behavior in the federal system? I don't think that's the case but I don't know for sure. I was thinking in the federal system you end up doing a big percentage of your time regardless.
ZERO, ZILCH, NO chance that happens. He won't be eligible to return for at least 2 years (if not more).
On top of that, by then he will be 30, and his best (some might say "only") asset - his legs - will be on the downside. So even if a team wants to walk the moral high wire for wins, it's pretty debatable as to how many wins he can get you.
Plus, any owner that signs him would have to consider that any of his dog-owning attendance could not renew their tickets. For most teams - that's a fairly large number of people.
I'd say it's at least 50/50 that he never plays another down in the NFL.
the one that killed dogs, not something insignificant like humans.
The majority of humans are assholes and deserve to die.
What the are you talking about??
What does "fun" have to do with any of this??
NO FUN LEAGUE refers to the league not letting players celebrate.
Vick killed dogs.
There is no correlation between the two.
That was a stupid statement.
I wonder what the countless killed and tortured dogs would have to say about that.
so the NFL was prosecuting vick? Didn't know they could send players to jail!
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