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Vick pleads guilty, issues public apology
By Larry O’Dell, Associated Press Writer
Monday, August 27, 2007 | No comments posted.
RICHMOND, Va. — Michael Vick apologized to the NFL and his Atlanta Falcons teammates today for “using bad judgment and making bad decisions” and vowed to redeem himself of charges in a dogfighting case.
Shortly before making his first public statements, the star quarterback pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting charge and awaited a Dec. 10 sentencing date that likely will send him to prison.
“First I want to apologize for all the things that I’ve done and that I have allowed to happen,” Vick said at a news conference following his appearance in U.S. District Court.
“I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions,” he said. “Dogfighting is a terrible thing.”
Along with apologizing to his employers, Vick apologized “to all the young kids out there for my immature acts.”
“I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player,” he said, looking someber throughout the brief news session.
He concluded by saying, “I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to.”
Vick took no questions.
He said little in court, softly answering “Yes, sir” and “No, sir” to U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson’s questions. Family members occupied the front row of the packed courtroom for the 15-minute hearing.
The plea by the suspended quarterback was accepted by Hudson, who asked: “Are you entering the plea of guilty to a conspiracy charge because you are in fact guilty?”
Vick replied, “Yes, sir.”
Hudson emphasized during the 15-minute hearing he is not bound by sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of prosecutors and can impose the maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. Prosecutors proposed a 12- to 18-month prison term.
“You’re taking your chances here. You’ll have to live with whatever decision I make,” Hudson.
“A first-time offender might well receive no jail time for this offense,” U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said in a statement. “We thought, however, that the conduct in this conspiracy was heinous, cruel and inhumane” so three of the four defendants, including Vick, should receive harsher sentences.
The first defendant to plead guilty left the conspiracy in 2004 and is not as culpable, he said.
In his written plea filed in federal court Friday, Vick admitted helping kill six to eight pit bulls and supplying money for gambling on the fights. He said he did not personally place any bets or share in any winnings.
The NFL suspended him indefinitely and without pay Friday after his plea agreement was filed. Merely associating with gamblers can trigger a lifetime ban under the league’s personal conduct policy.
The case began in late April when authorities conducting a drug investigation of Vick’s cousin raided the former Virginia Tech star’s rural Surry County property and seized dozens of dogs, some injured, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting.
A federal indictment issued in July charged Vick, Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach, Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Tony Taylor of Hampton with an interstate dogfighting conspiracy. Vick initially denied any involvement, and all four men pleaded innocent. Taylor was the first to change his plea to guilty; Phillips and Peace soon followed.
The details outlined in the indictment and other court papers fueled a public backlash against Vick and cost him several lucrative endorsement deals, even before he agreed to plead guilty.
In announcing the suspension, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell opened the way for the Falcons to attempt to recover $22 million of Vick’s signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004.
Vick’s plea today came hours before the Falcons play an exhibition game at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be the first chance for the team to see what effect Vick’s case has on attendance at the Georgia Dome. Vick wears the biggest-selling jersey in team history and is given much credit for the team’s 51 consecutive sellouts.
After initially denying his involvement, Vick has said little publicly about the case. Privately, he met with Goodell and Falcons owner Arthur Blank when the investigation was just beginning, and almost certainly lied to both.
Shortly before making his first public statements, the star quarterback pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting charge and awaited a Dec. 10 sentencing date that likely will send him to prison.
“First I want to apologize for all the things that I’ve done and that I have allowed to happen,” Vick said at a news conference following his appearance in U.S. District Court.
“I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions,” he said. “Dogfighting is a terrible thing.”
Along with apologizing to his employers, Vick apologized “to all the young kids out there for my immature acts.”
“I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player,” he said, looking someber throughout the brief news session.
He concluded by saying, “I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to.”
Vick took no questions.
He said little in court, softly answering “Yes, sir” and “No, sir” to U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson’s questions. Family members occupied the front row of the packed courtroom for the 15-minute hearing.
The plea by the suspended quarterback was accepted by Hudson, who asked: “Are you entering the plea of guilty to a conspiracy charge because you are in fact guilty?”
Vick replied, “Yes, sir.”
Hudson emphasized during the 15-minute hearing he is not bound by sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of prosecutors and can impose the maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. Prosecutors proposed a 12- to 18-month prison term.
“You’re taking your chances here. You’ll have to live with whatever decision I make,” Hudson.
“A first-time offender might well receive no jail time for this offense,” U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said in a statement. “We thought, however, that the conduct in this conspiracy was heinous, cruel and inhumane” so three of the four defendants, including Vick, should receive harsher sentences.
The first defendant to plead guilty left the conspiracy in 2004 and is not as culpable, he said.
In his written plea filed in federal court Friday, Vick admitted helping kill six to eight pit bulls and supplying money for gambling on the fights. He said he did not personally place any bets or share in any winnings.
The NFL suspended him indefinitely and without pay Friday after his plea agreement was filed. Merely associating with gamblers can trigger a lifetime ban under the league’s personal conduct policy.
The case began in late April when authorities conducting a drug investigation of Vick’s cousin raided the former Virginia Tech star’s rural Surry County property and seized dozens of dogs, some injured, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting.
A federal indictment issued in July charged Vick, Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach, Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Tony Taylor of Hampton with an interstate dogfighting conspiracy. Vick initially denied any involvement, and all four men pleaded innocent. Taylor was the first to change his plea to guilty; Phillips and Peace soon followed.
The details outlined in the indictment and other court papers fueled a public backlash against Vick and cost him several lucrative endorsement deals, even before he agreed to plead guilty.
In announcing the suspension, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell opened the way for the Falcons to attempt to recover $22 million of Vick’s signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004.
Vick’s plea today came hours before the Falcons play an exhibition game at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be the first chance for the team to see what effect Vick’s case has on attendance at the Georgia Dome. Vick wears the biggest-selling jersey in team history and is given much credit for the team’s 51 consecutive sellouts.
After initially denying his involvement, Vick has said little publicly about the case. Privately, he met with Goodell and Falcons owner Arthur Blank when the investigation was just beginning, and almost certainly lied to both.
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