Virginia charges Vick with killing, torturing, and fighting dogs

As has been rumored for days now, the state of Virginia has filed charges against suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for torturing and killing dogs at his Virginia property, and running a dogfighting ring. From CNN:

A Virginia grand jury has indicted suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three co-defendants on state charges of running a dogfighting ring at Vick's Virginia home, prosecutors said Tuesday.



Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick faces sentencing on federal charges in December.



The Surry County grand jury brought two charges against Vick: one count of unlawfully torturing and killing dogs and one of promoting dogfights. Each is a felony charge that could result in a five-year prison term.



Vick, 27, faces a possible prison term of 12 to 18 months after his August guilty plea to a federal conspiracy charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation from his home outside Newport News, Virginia. He faces sentencing on December 10 in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Virginia.



Vick's lawyers said they will "aggressively" work to make sure "that he is not held accountable for the same conduct twice."



"We are disappointed that these charges were filed in Surry County, since it is the same conduct covered by the federal indictment for which Mr. Vick has already accepted full responsibility and pleaded guilty to in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Virginia," his lead attorney, Billy Martin, said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.

Full story here.

Comments

[The OTHER Pat]

I was disappointed at this part:



"The grand jury refused to bring eight additional counts of animal cruelty against the defendants."



As I understand it, this would have been the individual charges for each of the eight dogs he had a hand in killing.



Bummer that he got out from under that one.

[straybaby]

I would love to know that Lynn. If a sworn statement isn't good enough, what is?!



If they are going to trade testimony, they sure didn't give themselves much bargaining room . . .



The shelter that my dog was turned into didn't alert the authorities because it was before the alliance and an effort to work for the animals. She would have been taken to the city shelter and not made it out. The laws were/are flimsy at best and the prosecuting results dismal. Sounds like they have tougher laws there and all the articles mention them. And to be clear, I'm referring to the cruelty laws, not dog fighting ones. We really need to use the laws that are on the books.



Yes, I'm still busting a blood vein that there were no cruelty charges regarding the 6-8 dogs that were so brutally killed (according to sworn statements!)

[Lynn]

I wonder what set of criteria the prosecutor uses to decide what to charge and how many counts, etc., etc.

[Deb]

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Michael's troubles aren't over. Seems the Royal Bank of Canada has filed in federal Court alleging Mr Vic has defaulted in a $2.5 million loan. http://tinyurl.com/2eqeho

[VJ]

There was a small article in today's paper that Vick was put under home curfew after testing positive for marijuana. Some people just never think they are wrong. Just hope Judge Hudson proves that Vick isn't as smart as he may think.

[Sally]

The prosecutor did bring charges for the 8 counts of animal cruelty related to the dogs that were killed - the grand jury didn't indict on them.