As discussed in the previous blog, dog fighting is a common form of animal abuse. One of the most recent, well known dog fighting cases is the one involving Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback Michael Vick and three others, Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor. According to an article written by the Washington Post, in July of 2007 Vick and the three other men were indicted for operating the dogfighting ring “Bad Newz Kennels” on Vick's property in Virginia and across state lines. Dogfighting is a felony in Virginia and, because they transported dogs over state lines to fight it makes their offense a federal crime. A portion of the indictment said that eight dogs who did not fight well were executed by various methods including hanging, drowning, or slamming the dog to the ground. The indictment also alleged that Vick consulted with Peace before Peace killed a losing dog by electrocution.
Vick accepted a plea bargain of 12 to 18 months; however, he was sentenced to 23 months in prison in December 2007. Vick received a harsher sentence because of conflicting statements made by him to the FBI. Vick previously denied that he was involved in the killing of the dogs during questioning sessions with the FBI. But after more questioning sessions and a polygraph test he finally admitted that he hung two dogs with Phillips.
According to CNN, after Vick entered in to this guilty plea he apologized for his actions and said that he was, “disappointed in myself…for all the things that I’ve done and that I’ve allowed to happen… dogfighting is a terrible thing and I…reject it…Through this situation I’ve found Jesus…I got a lot of down time…to think about my actions.”
Click on the link below to see his full apology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzytivQsPGI
Vick’s actions are horrendous and grotesque. I believe that his punishment is well suited for the crime he committed. His apology seems sincere and remorseful, but what other emotion is there for him to display? Vick would be an idiot to display any other emotion than remorse in the public eye. How would that look to a sentencing judge if he went in to a court room with a smug attitude and no remorse for what he did to those dogs?
Well, I hope Vick has changed and does truly feel remorseful for his actions. If he does not he has more than a year to think about his actions in federal prison.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/17/AR2007071701393.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/11/ST2007121100072.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/08/27/michael.vick/index.html
