Michael Vick Pleads Guilty!

By Pamela Mortimer

Attorneys for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick have announced Monday that their client intends to plead guilty to felonious dog fighting conspiracy charges. He will probably face jail time.

Lawrence Woodward, one of Vick’s defense attorneys, said that his client will enter a guilty plea to the felony conspiracy charge next Monday at 10:30 A.M. EST.

"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," said defense attorney Billy Martin.

"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."

USA Today reported that presiding U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson said he "has the leeway to sentence Vick and his co-defendants as he deems fit and is not bound by the recommended sentences given to him by the prosecution."

According to reports, Vick was still wavering on Saturday between entering a guilty plea or taking his chances in a federal court in November. If Vick chose to go to trial, it is certain that details of his ghastly dog fighting operation, "Bad Newz Kennels" would come to light, potentially causing more harm to Vick’s defense. In addition, Vick’s decision to enter a guilty plea may have been due in part to the pleas entered by the remaining co-defendants on Friday and the hope that if he plead guilty, jail time could be restricted to one year or less.

On Friday, Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach and Quanis Phillips of Atlanta entered plea agreements and also agreed to testify against Vick. Tony Taylor, a third co-defendant in the case, struck a similar deal last month.

Peace, Phillips and Taylor pleaded guilty to the same charges facing Vick: conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture and conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities.

Phillips and Peace also made statements that backed up Taylor’s statement that Vick was involved in gambling.

"The ‘Bad Newz Kennels’ operation and gambling monies were almost exclusively funded by Vick," read statements by the two co-defendants.

According to sources, Phillips also signed a statement that said Vick assisted in executing at least eight dogs that didn’t do well in test fights. The dogs were allegedly murdered by various methods, including hanging and drowning.

"Phillips agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of Peace, Phillips, and Vick," the statement said.

To date, there has been no statement issued by either the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell or Falcon’s owner Arthur Blank. Defense attorneys for Michael Vick are expected to give an updated status report late Monday.