Where was michael vicks dog fighting ring
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RICHMOND, Va. (July 30, ) -- One of Michael Vick's co-defendants pleaded guilty Monday to his role in a dogfighting conspiracy he says was financed almost entirely by the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.
As part of a plea agreement, Tony Taylor pledged to fully cooperate with the government in its prosecution of Vick and two other men accused of running an interstate dogfighting enterprise known as "Bad Newz Kennels" on Vick's property in rural Surry County.
"The 'Bad Newz Kennels' operation and gambling monies were almost exclusively funded by Vick," a summary of facts supporting the plea agreement and signed by Taylor states.
The plea deal requires Taylor to testify against Vick and his two remaining co-defendants if called upon to do so. Taylor cannot get a stiffer sentence or face any new charges based on any new information he provides, according to terms of the agreement.
Additional charges are possible, however, against Vick and the other two. Federal prosecutors have said a superseding indictment will be issued in August.
Vick's lead attorney, Billy Martin, did not immediately return a phone message.
Taylor, 34, of Hampton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.
Vick pleaded not guilty to the same charges last week and said in a written statement that he looked forward to "clearing my good name." He also pleaded with the public to resist a rush to judgment.
The gruesome details outlined in the July 17 indictment have fueled public protests against Vick and prompted the suspension of some of his lucrative endorsement deals. Also, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp.
The summary of facts signed by Taylor supports the indictment's claims that the dogfighting ring executed underperforming dogs by drowning, hanging and other
Vick timeline in dogfighting case
April 25, Police serve the warrant in Surry, Va., the day after Michael Vick's cousin, Davon Boddie, was arrested on drug charges and listed the house as his address. The police and animal-control officers find 66 dogs - 55 of them pit bulls -- and what appears to be a dog-training complex of dark-painted buildings in the woods just behind the house, which is owned by Vick. Police obtain another warrant and seize the dogs and various items.
May 23, Investigators get a third search warrant, but prosecutor Gerald G. Poindexter decides not to execute it, saying he is worried the dogfighting warrants are tainted because the animal-control officers might have been overzealous in their searches.
June 7, Another search of Vick's property by more than a dozen representatives of the U.S. attorney's office in Richmond, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Virginia State Police. They execute a sealed federal search warrant.
July 2, Court documents are filed in which federal authorities allege that a dogfighting venture called Bad Newz Kennels had operated at the Vick property for the past five years. The U.S. attorney's office files papers seeking federal government ownership of about 53 pit bulls that were among the dogs seized from Vick's property.
July 6, Another search of the property by federal authorities, again seeking evidence of dogfighting in the form of animal remains.
July 17, Vick and three other men are indicted by a federal grand jury on dog fighting charges for activity over a six year period. Vick's name is mentioned 48 times in the page indictment, which accuses Vick of breeding and training fighting dogs, hosting dogfights, killing dogs considered unable to fight and traveling out of state for dog fights. If convicted, Vick would face six years in prison and $, in fines.
July 18, Arraignment set for July 26 in federal court in Richmond. That is the same day as Falcons' opening tra American football former player and coach (born ) Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, ) is an American college football coach and former player who is the head football coach at Norfolk State University. He played quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, where he became the league's first quarterback to rush for 1, yards in a season and was the all-time leader in quarterback rushing yards at the time of his retirement. Vick played college football at Virginia Tech, where he won the Archie Griffin Award as a freshman, and was selected first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL draft. During his six years with the Falcons, he was named to three Pro Bowls and led the team to two playoff runs, one division title, and an NFC Championship Game appearance. Vick's NFL career came to a halt in after he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a dog fighting ring and spent 21 months in federal prison. His arrest and subsequent conviction garnered Vick notoriety with the general public, which lasted throughout the rest of his career. He was released by the Falcons shortly before leaving prison. After serving his sentence, Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for the season. As a member of the Eagles for five years, he had his greatest statistical season and led the team to a division title in , earning him Comeback Player of the Year and a fourth Pro Bowl selection. In his final two seasons, Vick played for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, primarily as a backup. He officially retired in after spending the season as a free agent. After retiring as a player, Vick pursued a coaching career. He served as the offensive coordinator and advisor of the Atlanta Legends of Alliance of American Football (AAF) in Near the end of the season, Vick was named the head football coach at Norfolk State. Vick was born in Newport News, Virginia, as the third of four children to Brenda Vick and Michael Boddie, then un Lester MunsonMay 19, , AM ET Michael Vick and Tony Taylor knew they needed expert help if they were to enter the world of dogfighting. "We both had always had dogs and had a passion for dogs, but we didn't know much about training and feeding and all that goes into a dogfight," says Taylor, who along with Vick and two other co-conspirators pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges and served prison time. "We needed to break into the inner circle and find someone to help us." So as they were buying secluded acreage for their kennel in rural Surry County, Va., Vick and Taylor connected with a titan of dogfighting named Benny Butts. "He had been in it for nearly 30 years," Taylor says. "He had a good bloodline of dogs, and he knew everything and everybody." Butts, who was in his 50s, died of a heart attack after helping Taylor establish Vick's Bad Newz Kennels. In his first extensive interview since he was charged on July 17, , with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture, Taylor provided an account to of the dogfighting operation on Vick's property in Smithfield, Va. He says he ran the venture for four years. Taylor says he started building the enterprise slowly, buying a few puppies for between $ and $ as well as some "prospects," pit bulls that were already 18 to 21 months old and carried prices between $1, and $1, Living in a double-wide trailer on Vick's 16 acres, Taylor trained as many as 20 dogs during his four years there, operating under a county-issued kennel license that allowed for as many as 40 dogs on a property of that size. "We took good care of the dogs," Taylor says. "They had their shots, and we watched their fluids and their elect
Michael Vick
Early life
The inside story of Vick's dogfights