Falcons' Vick indicted by grand jury in dogfighting probe

Does that 95% conviction rate include plea bargains....SON.kdt55

Yes..... because if he pleas guilty, then he must be guilty..........

So he could plea guilty to far lesser charge, and the FBI still gets credit for a conviction.kdt55

The only way that the Feds would even consider offering a lesser charge would be if Vick agrees to help turn in others who are involved in dogfighting as well. So, he would still be guilty of being involved in dogfighting.

Otherwise, what incentive do the Feds have in offering a plea to a lesser charge in the first place?

Who knows what incentive they would have...the case has not even begun yet. Remember, Vick has real expensive lawyers, and real expensive lawyers can give prosecutors big time headaches. Sometime during the trial, things might take a turn for the worse for the prosecution, and maybe they would decide to offer a plea to Vick hoping that Vick would accept rather than risk being guilty of the big boy charges..and the FBI can still pat that 95% conviction rate that they brag about.

Ok, thats it, I'm going to stop acting like I'm a lawyer. All I know is that this is beatable in real court, but not in the court of public opinion. Vick is over here Atlanta. Everyone is saying they don't care about 'due process' and they want him released before he's even convicted. I don't understand why everyone is in such a rush to kick him out. If he's guilty, then release him. If not, keep him because he's innocent. Simple.. You know.

Either way,he will be a QB in this league in the future, and you know it. If Jamarcus Russell is a bust, expect him in Oakland.

So he could plea guilty to far lesser charge, and the FBI still gets credit for a conviction.kdt55

If he pleads guilty, then he must be guilty (no ifs, ands, or buts about it). So of course they get credit for the conviction. And he probably won't get much of a lesser charge and if (when) he's convicted; he'll be suspended.

Rumor has it the players union, Vick's representatives, the Falcons, and the NFL are trying to work out some leave of absence for Vick until the matter is settled.

Personally I hope everyone agrees. That would save a lot of people some huge headaches and PR nightmares. Not to mention it would mean I could read about teams OTHER than the falcons during the preseason rather than an all Falcons all Vick media frenzy.

Who knows what incentive they would have...the case has not even begun yet. Remember, Vick has real expensive lawyers, and real expensive lawyers can give prosecutors big time headaches. Sometime during the trial, things might take a turn for the worse for the prosecution, and maybe they would decide to offer a plea to Vick hoping that Vick would accept rather than risk being guilty of the big boy charges..and the FBI can still pat that 95% conviction rate that they brag about.

Ok, thats it, I'm going to stop acting like I'm a lawyer. All I know is that this is beatable in real court, but not in the court of public opinion. Vick is over here Atlanta. Everyone is saying they don't care about 'due process' and they want him released before he's even convicted. I don't understand why everyone is in such a rush to kick him out. If he's guilty, then release him. If not, keep him because he's innocent. Simple.. You know.

Either way,he will be a QB in this league in the future, and you know it. If Jamarcus Russell is a bust, expect him in Oakland.

kdt55

You think? First of all, if he's convited or takes a plea bargin he will absolutely be suspended whenever he tries to come back. It's in the policy. Let's not forget too that this Michael Vick and not Peyton Manning. Is it really worth it? In no way does Vick's average QB skills outweigh the PR troubles in my mind. Not to mention that if he comes back he will face that suspension on that team's roster, if the Falcons choose to let him go.

Yeah, I understand that he would have to be suspended...but I'm not sure it would be a full season. Even if it is, so what? If all Vick gets is a year suspension, I think he'll be happy with that if he's not in the slammer for 6 years. Trust me, when a team in 2009 is desperate for a QB, they will look at Vick and say....Lets give him a chance, we can 'keep him under control'. I KNOW IT. Now if VIck is suspended for a year, no team will sign him...I know that. But he doesn't have to sign with a team for his suspension to start. He's just gonna have to take a year vacation like Ricky Williams, and get ready for 2009...if he's not locked up with his boys.kdt55

I see what you're saying and I won't be niave enough to say it won't happen. However, this is different than Pacman or Tank Johnson in the sense that most of the general public can't relate to assulting strippers and gun charges. Brutally killing dogs is something almost everyone in America can relate to and are calling for his head as a result. I just got done going through the news channels and saw 3 different channels making it their lead story. Even Pacman didn't reach this kind of national publicity outside of a bottom line on CNN that didn't include scheduled sports talk.

This is a hot story right now, ESPN, Bill O'reilly, some dude and some other dude are talking about it first thing in their program. It just happened though. Once a whole year or 2 goes by, people will be ready, and be wanting, some Michael Vick. They (we) will be ready to forgive and forget just to get Mike back on the field. All eyes will be on him, and believe it or not, most will be rooting for him IMO. Sympathy will build while he is serving his time/suspension. Once he signs with his next team, it will be the hot story, and Wilbon and Kornhieser will have 5 good minutes with Mike, and he'll say the right thing, and #7 will be back. OR, Vick will beat the case, remain a Falcon, and win the south. The latter is very unlikely. HAHA.

When it comes to comparing Vick to Tank or Pacman, its not really fair because Tank or Pac aren't one of the biggest stars in the league. They're not even close to Vick when it comes to exposure and popularity. I get what your saying though, because when I picture Vick in strip club instead of a pit bull fight, and I picture him banging a womans head and punching her 3 times, threatening to kill people and ordering his boys to kill people, being with people that actually fire shots that ultimately paralayzes a body guard and hits a woman in the head (not life threatening), I don't relate to that. That situation has never happened to me. But, if you try to picture it, it seems to be as offensive as Vicks charges, but thats just me.

On a another note though, I live in the ATL, and the AJC (local paper) did a story with a former investigator that told what goes on at those fights, and it was horrible. The average fight last 45 minutes, and the longest recorded fight was 5 hrs+. It makes me wanna puke, and if Vick is guilty of these crimes, I wouldn't mind him doing 6 years...I just don't think it will happen, and I believe the American people will forgive him, and the Raiders will make him the starter once Russell is proved to be a bust.