Vick INDICTED!

[lizbud]

I found the article & did read it. I am super disappointed in Whoopi for
even bringing his name up at all. What's she doing, playing for ratings?

It's understandable because he was raised that way? BS. It is against the
law in every state & has been for years.. The culture thing won't get it.

[K9soul]

Check this out: http://www.tmz.com/2007/09/04/humane...alking-points/

The Humane Society is auctioning off his talking points.

I went to the ebay auction for Vick's speech notes and see it has 25 bids already and up to $1000. I wonder what that will go for. Here is the item description on the auction:

This sheet of paper was discarded at the podium after Michael Vick's apology on August 28th, 2007 at the Omni Hotel in Richmond. Found by an HSUS employee, it appears to be Vick's own talking points from his first public statement after his guilty plea for crimes related to dogfighting.

Ironically, Vick never got to the last three words, "dogs have suffered", which had clearly been added as an afterthought.
This piece of memorabilia culminates the nation's most notorious celebrity cruelty case. It is a symbol of the downfall of a superstar's career but also of the historical event that brought light to the cruel and illegal business of dogfighting in America.

Auction is here: Ebay auction

[lady_zana]

UGH, you have GOT to be joking!! How can they POSSIBLY think they can justify his actions by saying its "part of his cultural upbringing"?! So you're saying if part of my cultural upbringing was being racist and having blacks as slaves, and I was caught having a black slave, that would be ok?!?!?!

That's a good example of how cultures can change. It hasn't been socially acceptable to own a slave in close to two hundred years....but at one time it was.

Just because it was socially acceptable at one time to do an action doesn't mean it will always be that way. If enough people realize the stupidity of their actions, things will change. The "it's my culture" excuse doesn't wash with me.

[catmandu]

Lets Hope That Somewhere Somehow The Punishment Will Fit The Crime And These Creeps Spend An Eternity In The Hell So Richly Decribed By Dante In Dantes Inferno.
That Would Be Proper Justice.

[lizbud]

I hope people don't forget these victims.



Give Vick Dogs a Fighting Chance at Life

Ask U.S. Attorney to allow rescue organizations to adopt qualified dogs


No matter what punishment Michael Vick gets for his days of dogfighting, the fate that may await the 53 pit bulls rescued from a life of deadly combat at his now-defunct Bad Newz Kennels is far worse than anything the disgraced quarterback will face. That is, the dogs he so cruelly abused will likely be killed within a few short weeks—not by Vick and his dogfighting partners in crime, but by lethal injection at the hands of licensed government agents.

Granted, humane euthanasia is a far sight better than death by shooting, hanging, drowning, or electrocution—these being some of the methods Vick admits he used to dispatch dogs who were not skilled fighters. Yet, no matter how it's done or who does it, killing the remaining dogs will still have the same tragic result: the unnecessary end of these innocent animals' lives. These would not be "mercy killings" of terminally ill animals, but merely the deliberate destruction of terribly abused creatures whose suffering might still be alleviated by a systematic regimen of kindness and compassion.

When pit bulls are taken into custody during raids on dogfighting rings, they are almost always killed because they are believed to be dangerous and unfit for society. Yet there are numerous success stories of fighting dogs being completely rehabilitated and recovering from their violent conditioning to become loving animal companions. Therefore, rather than simply write these animals off because they've been damaged by hellish treatment, we must commit to giving them the best chance at a decent life that we possibly can.

Vick could have spared the lives of dogs who lost fights, but chose not to for his own convenience, because dogs who cannot win future fights were of no use to him. IDA believes we must do everything we can for these canine victims, and, thankfully, so do many of our colleagues in the animal protection movement.

IDA commends the ASPCA for agreeing to temperament-test all 53 dogs to determine how dangerous they actually are, and whether they can be properly socialized through retraining. Thankfully, several highly-respected shelters—including Mariah's Promise in Colorado and Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah—have already stepped forward with offers to house the dogs and work with them until they are ready for new homes and new lives. Both of these organizations have direct experience handling aggressive pit bulls, as well as rigorous screening procedures in place to ensure that all dogs adopted out go only to responsible guardians.

As the highest-paid football player in NFL history, Vick is a celebrity athlete on par with the most famous names in any professional sport today, so his indictment has done more to awaken Americans to the scourge of dogfighting than any other event in our nation's history. Such a high-profile animal abuse case demands from us the highest consideration for the lives of those most directly impacted by these unique circumstances. We have a responsibility therefore not only redouble our efforts to end dogfighting in this country, but also to do everything in our power to redeem the lives it has ruined—starting with these 53 dogs.

What You Can Do

1) Please write a letter to U.S. Attorney Michael Gill urging him to allow all dogs who pass temperament evaluations to be taken by qualified rescue organizations:

U.S. Attorney Michael Gill
Case No 307CV397
600 East Main Street, Suite 1800
Richmond, VA 23219

2) Also email the two ASPCA behavioral specialists who will be evaluating the dogs to thank them for their efforts:




- Steve Zawistowski – [email protected]
- Randall Lockwood – [email protected]

[RICHARD]

Terrell Owens made the same arguement for Vick that the Whoopster did.

IT was in an interview w/Jim Gray of ESPN that aired on a few days ago.

--------

I want to say that the 'talking bowling ball' Tiki Barber made some other stupid comments about the case...But I was tired and didn't listen all the way.


Another interesting Letter to the Editor in yesterday's newspaper regarding the "cultural excuse" that people are giving.

It said something like...

Wecan forgive law breakers for their culture- we can forgive illegal aliens for crossing the border, Murders for killing and KKK members for their hate.

I am sure Whoppi can get behind those cultures.

[joycenalex]

from msnbc.....RICHMOND, Va. - The prosecutor in the rural county where Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has admitted to bankrolling a dogfighting operation plans to present “a host of bills of indictment” regarding the case to a grand jury on Tuesday.

“Yes, I’m presenting matters to the grand jury that involve dogfighting at 1915 Moonlight Road,” Surry County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Monday night.

Moonlight Road is the address of the two story home on 15 mostly undeveloped acres that has been host to “Bad Newz Kennels” since 2001. It’s where dozens of pit bulls were found in April, and where they were trained, fought and brutally executed.
“Most of the matters that I’m presenting have already been admitted in sworn statements authored by the defendants in the federal proceedings,” Poindexter said.

He couldn’t detail the exact indictments he will pursue, but said the local investigation and the federal investigation largely focused on different crimes.

“The killing of dogs is one of those statutory prohibitions. Dogfighting is a crime, the mistreatment of animals is a crime, so you could take your pick, or take them all,” Poindexter said before cutting the conversation short. “I don’t have anything else to say about it. I’m through with it. Hopefully it’s coming to an end.”

Vick, his co-defendants and lawyers will not attend the closed proceeding.

Efforts to reach Vick’s lawyers by telephone and e-mail were not successful.

Vick and three co-defendants have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the case, and all are awaiting sentencing in federal court before the end of the year.

Vick, who faces up to five years in prison, also has been indefinitely suspended without pay by the NFL and been dropped by all his major sponsors, including Nike.

The local charges, and a conviction, could spell an end to any hope he has of resuming his NFL career after serving a likely federal prison term. An animal cruelty charge in Virginia is punishable by up to five years in prison, and he admitted in his written plea to helping kill six to eight pit bulls days before the first raid.

That alone could expose him to as many as 40 years in prison.

Vick, in his written plea, also admitted to supplying money for gambling on the fights involving Bad Newz Kennels dogs. He said he did not personally place any bets or share in any winnings, but gave his three co-defendants all those proceeds.

The co-defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty before Vick and detailed what they said was his involvement, agreed to testify against him had the case gone to trial.
The case began in late April when authorities conducting a drug investigation of Vick’s cousin raided the former Virginia Tech star’s property and seized dozens of dogs, most of them pit bulls, and equipment commonly associated with dogfighting.

Six weeks later, with the local investigation perceived to be dragging and a search warrant allowed to expire, federal agents arrived with their own search warrants and started digging up dog carcasses buried days before the first raid.

Poindexter, who had been widely criticized for the pace of the investigation, reacted angrily when the feds moved in, suggesting that Vick’s celebrity was a draw, or that their pursuit of the case could have racial overtones. He later eased off those comments, saying that the sides would simply be pursuing parallel investigations.

[cassiesmom]

What is a temperament examination?

Please write a letter to U.S. Attorney Michael Gill urging him to allow all dogs who pass temperament evaluations to be taken by qualified rescue organizations

Is it something specific to the pit bull? Is it conducted by an expert? I would hate for a dog to be deemed unrescueable and put down, or for a dog found rescueable to be involved later in an accident with a person.

Can you re-train a pit bull (or any aggressive dog, really) to learn to get along with people? Look at retired racing greyhounds, they really have no experience with being part of a family until they go through an adoption program. Once they retire, they have to learn everything about living in a home and being a pet. Those folks must have expertise with identifying the few who can't successfully adapt to a life after racing, but it seems like the great majority of greyhound "retirees" do just fine.

[Lady's Human]

Vick isn't even intelligent enough to avoid the dope while in a court monitored program awaiting sentencing. The fool popped hot on a urinalysis.

Have fun with your future cellmates.

[lizbud]

Vick isn't even intelligent enough to avoid the dope while in a court monitored program awaiting sentencing. The fool popped hot on a urinalysis.

Have fun with your future cellmates.

How smart do you have to be to throw a ball in a straight line?

Probably under the impression that the rules apply to OTHER people.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Mikey's getting *dummer* than a Box a Rocks!

Been a bad week for the boy star ...

------------------------------------------------
"Local Charges" good for a few more years in the slammer AFTER the Feds
get done with him ... MSNBC.com article >>>

"Vick indicted on state dogfighting charges" at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20962932/
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Then we have the Failed Drug Test >>>

"More troubles: Vick positive for marijuana
QB, already facing sentencing for dogfighting, can't leave house at night" ... article at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20994016/
--------------------------------------------------

Now for TODAY'S NEW Development >>>

Bank says Vick defaulted on $2.5 million loan
Royal Bank of Canada files lawsuit against embattled Falcons quarterback ...

And they want their money BACK! ... article at >
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20993051/
-----------------------------------------------------

How much do they pay Prisoners to *stamp out* license plates?

I'll bet paying off $2.5 Million will take a LOTTA license plates!

[crow_noir]

They are done all over the nation on many breeds almost every day. Mostly done in pounds.

Expert is all a relative term. Some people perform the test that shouldn't.

Some pitties are rehabable, others aren't. The same with any dog. (Many points are debated on this. There are many ill-informed out there. Also you have people that believe very strongly on one side or the other of Nature vs. Nurture. Genes or Environment.

Some dogs should never be adopted out, but unfortunately are and it only serves to make a bad name for the very dogs so many people are trying to rescue. Sometimes these people get too attached and are blinded by their own devotion. I say that some should be put down to make room for ones that are rehabable. That's my biased opinion. (Rescue is hard though... To think with a clear head is a difficult feat and an admirable rare quality.)

What is a temperament examination? Is it something specific to the pit bull? Is it conducted by an expert? I would hate for a dog to be deemed unrescueable and put down, or for a dog found rescueable to be involved later in an accident with a person.

Can you re-train a pit bull (or any aggressive dog, really) to learn to get along with people? Look at retired racing greyhounds, they really have no experience with being part of a family until they go through an adoption program. Once they retire, they have to learn everything about living in a home and being a pet. Those folks must have expertise with identifying the few who can't successfully adapt to a life after racing, but it seems like the great majority of greyhound "retirees" do just fine.

[Cincy'sMom]

What do you say we stick Michael Vick and Mike Tyson in a cell together and throw away the key?

[Cinder & Smoke]

What do you say we stick Michael Vick and Mike Tyson in a cell together and
throw away the key?

Hey ~~ OK!!

Can we BET on the outcome?

[lizbud]

I wonder if this is connected to the Canadian bank's action or is it a
separate transaction? Either way, Vick is in deep trouble.Couldn't happen
to a more deserving creep.


Indiana Bank Sues Michael Vick Over Unpaid Car Loans
Bank Claims $2 Million In Damages

POSTED: 11:22 am EDT September 28, 2007


SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- An Indiana bank has sued embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for not repaying loans involving a car rental business.

South Bend-based 1st Source Bank claimed in a federal lawsuit that it had suffered damages of at least $2 million as Vick and Divine Seven LLC of Atlanta had refused to pay for the vehicles.

Vick signed loan agreements as the CFO of Divine Seven, which bought at least 130 vehicles, including many Kia Spectra and Ford Taurus cars, through 1st Source Bank loans, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in South Bend on Wednesday.


A phone call Friday to a number listed on loan documents for Divine Seven was answered by a clerk at a Payless Car Rental office in Atlanta. The Associated Press left a message there for Art Washington, who signed some of the loan documents as Divine Seven's CEO.

According to the lawsuit, 1st Source Bank made a written demand for payment on Aug. 24, but Vick and Divine Seven have "failed and refused to pay."

The bank has been able to repossess most of the cars, which will limit Vick's financial liability in the lawsuit, said John Griffith, the corporate counsel for 1st Source Bank.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, said Vick and the company agreed to their first loans with the bank in January, about three months before authorities began investigating his involvement in a Virginia dogfighting operation.

He pleaded guilty to a dogfighting conspiracy charge in federal court last month and was indicted Tuesday on state charges in Virginia related to the dogfighting ring. He faces up to five years in prison on the federal charge when he is sentenced Dec. 10. He also has been indefinitely suspended by the NFL.

The Royal Bank of Canada sued Vick last week in federal court in Virginia for more than $2.3 million that it said he had planned to use for real estate investments.

A message seeking comment was left Friday at the law firm representing Vick in his criminal cases.