Michael Vick Will Work With Young People

Suspended NFL Star Michael Vick is leaving a job with a Virginia construction company to work with youngsters at Boys & Girls Clubs. Steven Kast, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula, says Vick will be working with children on health and fitness activities at several clubs in the Hampton Roads area. Vick was a regular at the Boys & Girls Club in Newport News as a youngster. Vick needed a job to meet the conditions of his probation and had been working as a $10-an-hour laborer. Vick, whose lawyers were in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Norfolk on Tuesday, is in house arrest for the last two months of a nearly two-year sentence for operating a dogfighting ring. His lawyers say a new bankruptcy plan gives creditors more of his future earnings.

(Associated Press)

NW Georgia Dogfighting Ring Busted

A suspected dogfighting operation has been busted in Rome. Two men were charged with cruelty to animals, and 15 adult pit bulls and six puppies were impounded after a raid on a residence in NW Ga. Floyd County authorities say the dogs had been tethered to the ground with logging chains attached to car axles. They say many of the dogs were scarred. A police official says one of the dogs bore scars consistent with dog fighting.

Michael Vick To Work Against Dogfighting

The Humane Society of the United States says Michael Vick wants to work with the group on a program aimed at eradicating dogfighting among urban teens. Society president Wayne Pacelle tells The Associated Press that he met with Vick at the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kan., and that the meeting came after Vick's legal team approached the animal-rights group. Vick was convicted of financing a dogfighting ring and participating in the executions of poorly performing pit bulls and has spent the past 19 months in federal prison. He's due to be released to home confinement this week.

( Associated Press)

Vick back in court today

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick will be back in court today to answer to more dogfighting charges. Vick will be in a Surry County, Virginia Circuit courtroom, expected to plead guilty to state dogfighting charges. The plea is seen as necessary to make Vick eligible for early release from federal prison to a halfway house.

Vick is currently serving a 23-month sentence for a federal dogfighting conviction. His scheduled release is July 2009. The plea agreement on state charges would call for Vick to receive a suspended sentence and one year probation.

Dogfighting ring busted in north Georgia

Two men in north Georgia have been arrested on dogfighting charges. Investigators are linking Randall Thaxton of Canton, and Ellijay resident Ray Beavers to the same "significant pit bull breeding operation". The lead investigator in the case says 30 pit bulls were recovered, all with scars consistent with dogfighting. Since May, eight dogfighting operations have been raided by law enforcement officials. That’s when a new Georgia law went into effect making it a felony to own, possess, train, transport or sell any dog for the purpose of dogfighting.

Launch of anti-dogfighting program

A group of religious leaders is taking on the crime of dogfighting. Today the Humane Society of the United States launched the "End Dogfighting in Atlanta" program. A contingent of Atlanta religious leaders will denounce the violence of dogfighting and sign a pledge to help combat the crime. It will focus on youth anti-violence intervention, dog training classes, community outreach and law enforcement partnerships.

(Associated Press)

North Georgia dogfighting operation busted

Authorities raided a suspected dogfighting operation in north Georgia Thursday. A U.S. Humane Society regional official says the 22 pit bulls discovered at the site in Blue Ridge were thin and had scars consistent with dogfighting. Authorities found three dogfighting pits and paraphernalia consistent with dogfighting. The owner of the property, Albert Glenn White, was arrested on a felony charge.

Governor to sign dogfighting legislation

Governor Sonny Perdue Tuesday afternoon is expected to sign into law a bill that toughens penalties for dogfighting in the state. The new legislation would make it a crime to attend dog fights and to breed animals for the purpose of fighting. Coming into the recently completed General Assembly, Georgia’s dogfighting laws were called among the weakest in the nation by animal rights groups. The issue gained a spotlight in the wake of the case against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and his eventual guilty plea for dogfighting.

Suspected dog fighting ring busted in Austell

Seven people have been arrested with 16 dogs seized by authorities in Cobb County in a suspected dogfighting operation. The raid on a home in Austell found dogs in poor condition--malnourished, underweight and with untreated wounds. Police have charged two men in the case. 45-year-old Michael D. Sweeney and 28-year-old Erik M. Vann each face a number of charges including for animal cruelty and dog fighting--a felony in Georgia. Five women are also in custody on drug possession charges.

Michael Vick's state trial continued

The state dog fighting trial of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has been continued. Vick was scheduled to stand trial on state charges in Virginia on April 2nd. No new date has been set. Vick is already serving a 23-month prison sentence on federal dog fighting charges.

Vick can keep bonus money

A federal judge ruled Monday that jailed Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick can keep nearly 20-million dollars in bonus money from his contract. The Falcons were seeking to recover the bonus money after Vick's guilty plea to federal charges in a dogfighting operation. The team claimed Vick used proceeds from the bonuses in the 2004 contract to fund his dogfighting activities.

In October, a special master ruled the Falcons would be entitled to recover the bonus money. Arguments in the case hinged on interpretations of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement.

Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence--he's housed in a minimum-security prison in Leavenworth, Kansas.

House gets tough on dogfighting spectators

The Georgia House approved a bill yesterday making it illegal to attend a dogfight in Georgia. The legislation allows prosecutors to charge spectators of dogfights with a misdemeanor. The penalty can be up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of five-thousand dollars. The bill also permits prosecutors to charge people who host the fights or train their canines for dogfighting with a felony.

A similar bill was passed by the Senate last year but failed to reach a vote. Dogfighting is illegal in Georgia already, but the current law only allows people caught in the act to be charged with a misdemeanor.

Vick may get cut in prison time

Suspended and imprisoned Atlanta Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick may be able to get a reduction in his 23-month sentence for dogfighting. Vick’s attorney said Monday the quarterback was transferred to a minimum security facility in Leavenworth,Kansas. If Vick successfully completes programs there, including a drug treatment program, he may get up to one year of early release. Vick has been in a Virginia jail since his sentencing in December.

Atlanta police find dogfighting evidence

Atlanta Police on Friday arrested a 31-year-old man at his home after officers found 15 live pit bulls and the bodies of several others.

A police spokesman says evidence, including fight charts and the remains of several dogs, show that a dogfighting operation was more extensive than they’d initially thought.

Atlanta Police spokesman Officer James Polite says that police investigators, a forensic veterinarian and an assistant district attorney searched the home of Ossia Phillips on Saturday. The veterinarian is now testing the remains to determine the number of dogs and their cause of death.

Investigators also seized several handguns and rifles, along with documents detailing the extent of the operation.

Polite says investigators are still trying to determine how long the ring was operating and how many members were involved. He says more arrests are possible.

Phillips is being held without bond at the Fulton County Jail on charges of dog fighting and animal cruelty.

The new evidence is in addition to a "contraption" found in the woods behind a home where investigators believe dogs were fought.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of dogfighting incidents statewide.

(The Associated Press)

5 Falcons Fined for Vick Messages

White. (NFLplayers.com)

Roddy White and four other Atlanta Falcons were fined by the NFL for violating uniform regulations with tributes to Michael Vick during last week's Monday night game.

Vick, Atlanta's suspended Pro Bowl quarterback, was sentenced to 23 months in prison on federal dogfighting charges the morning of Dec. 10. The Falcons played at home against New Orleans that night.

After scoring a touchdown, White displayed a "Free Mike Vick" T-shirt under his jersey.

He, along with tight end Alge Crumpler and cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, were fined $10,000 each. Crumpler, Hall and Houston all wore black eye strips with written tributes to Vick, which the league called "displaying an unauthorized personal message."

Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500 for pulling up White's jersey to show the black T-shirt with handwritten white lettering. The fines were confirmed Tuesday by NFL spokesman Randall Liu.

Hall also had a poster of Vick on the field during pre-game introductions.

The Falcons lost the game 34-14.

(The Associated Press)

Click here for more GPB News coverage about Vick and dogfighting.

State lawmaker updates push for new dogfighting laws

A day after Michael Vick was sentenced to prison for dogfighting, a state senator called a news conference for an update on legislation against the activity in Georgia.

Republican Chip Rogers from Woodstock says he hopes the Vick media focus will push his dogfighting bill over the top in January’s legislative session.

Rogers’ bill would make it a felony to stage, promote, bet on, or watch fights in Georgia. It would also raise the financial penalty. Currently, someone has to be caught at a fight to face prosecution. And the penalty Rogers says, is too low.

"If you’re only going to fine the person, if caught and convicted 5-thousand, and they could potentially win 20 or 30-thousand…as you can see, it may be a good risk on the person involved in this type of activity to go ahead and do it. We want to take that risk away, and we want the penalty to be severe".

Rogers wants a fine of 20-thousand dollars and prison time for a 1st offense.

He says Georgia’s current dogfighting laws are some of the weakest in the nation.

Vick gets 23 months for dogfighting

Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick today was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his bankroll and involvement in a dogfighting operation.

Vick could have received the maximum of five years behind bars from U.S District Court judge Henry Hudson. Federal sentencing guidelines recommended a term of 12-18 months. Last week, two of Vick’s co-defendants were sentenced to terms of 18 and 21 months respectively.

Vick appeared in Richmond-Virginia federal court dressed in a black and white prison jumpsuit. In the 90-minute hearing, he acknowledged using "poor judgement" and that he was willing to "deal with the consequences".

Vick in August admitted guilt to financing the dogfighting operation, and executing some dogs who didn’t perform up to expectations.

Vick’s legal troubles are not over. He and his three fellow co-defendants face state charges next year. Vick also is being sued by two banks for repayment of loans and lines of credit. His team, the Atlanta Falcons, is seeking repayment of bonus money from his 130-millioin dollar contract.

Vick to receive sentence today

Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick this morning will appear in Virginia federal court to learn his sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation. Vick's hearing is scheduled for 10am in Richmond, in front of U.S. District Court judge Henry Hudson. Vick faces a maximum of five years, but sentencing guidelines and recommendations call for a term of 12-18 months. Prosecutors have recommended the low end of that suggested term. Vick reported to prison last month to get a jump on his expected sentence. Two of Vick's co-defendants were sentenced last week. Purnell Peace got 18 months--Quanis Phillips received 21 months behind bars. A third co-defendant will learn his sentence Friday.

Two Vick co-defendants to be sentenced today

Michael Vick may get some type of idea of the sentence he'll get for dogfighting, when the judge in the case hands-down sentences for two of his fellow co-defendants today.

Quanis Phillips and Purnell Peace each face up to five years in prison for their roles in a dogfighting ring. The two will be sentenced today in Virginia. Vick's sentencing is set for December 10th.

Vick date set to face Virginia dogfighting charges

Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick has a trial date set to face state dogfighting charges in Virginia.

In a hearing in Sussex County-Virginia Tuesday morning, the date of April 2nd was scheduled. Vick was not present for the five minute session, in which his lawyer requested a jury trial.

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback has been in prison since last week. He's getting a jump on serving time for federal dogfighting charges. Vick faces up to five years behind bars when he is sentenced on December 10th.

Vick’s three fellow co-defendants will also face state charges. Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips have a trial date of March 5--Tony Taylor is scheduled for May 7. Peace and Phillips receive their federal sentencing this Friday.

Vick and the three are charged with state counts of beating or killing dogs, and engaging in a dogfighting operation.