All of Michael Vick's co-defendants have taken plea deals with the federal prosecutors. The word out of Richmond, Virginia (courtesy of Hampton Roads Daily Press) is that Michael Vick's attorneys are working on his deal, as well.Understand that a plea agreement carries with it a plea of GUILTY for a lesser charge than listed in the indictment, but it is still a declaration of GUILT!
Inasmuch, Vick has a lot more to lose than his co-defendants, his attorneys have more variables to consider before having him plead guilty to anything. As the recipient of a $130 million contract from the Atlanta Falcons, with a sizable signing bonus, if he is released by the Falcons, he may be liable for paying back a sizable portion of that bonus. If he is suspended by the commissioner of the NFL (which will happen whether he goes with a plea deal or if he goes to trial), he will not get paid. And if he his plea agreement carries jail time, he will be banned from the NFL (per the personal conduct clause of his contract) and will have to apply for reinstatement into the NFL after he gets out of prison.
If he does not negotiate a plea deal, prosecutors have stated that they will issue a superseding indictment which will likely carry more severe charges. These charges may include RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970) statute violations which carry stiff punishments of up to 20 years in prison.
plez sez: let's see (counting furiously on my fingers), 1 year in prison with a plea deal and out after 6 months for good behavior, or 10 years in prison after a conviction on the RICO statutes and out in 6 years for good behavior? millions of dollars in NFL fines and payback of the signing bonus, regardless of your decision. all 3 co-defendants have already copped a plea and are ready to roll on you... so a conviction on at least some of the charges is all but guaranteed!
MIKE... take the plea agreement! with even 2 years of prison time, you're out in a year with good behavior and you'll only miss 2 NFL seasons (if the league lets you back in after next season). you persona non grata here in Atlanta anyway, so you'll have to find a new football home... you will get the chance for a new start in the NFL.
in two seasons, you will have lost another step, but i believe you still have a lot of "excitement" left in those legs. and given the right situation, you may find yourself in the Super Bowl before the Falcons!
author's note: i'm about as tired of this Michael Vick *ish* as you. as such, this'll probably be my last word on the subject until he (1) beats the rap, (2) goes to jail, or (3) returns to the NFL.
unfortunately, the Dirty Birds won't be quite as dirty without him (the Atlanta Curse continues...)!
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2 comments:
Mike Vick has no one to blame but himself, WHY can't these brothers who make MILLIONS playing KID's game, make better choices?
Oy Veh.
I was going to write a piece about Vick on one of my two blogs, but...what could I say that hasn't already been said? What point could I have made that hasn't already been made several times over?
That said, all those folks out there wanting to boycott this and that because Vick hasn't been given "due process" can go ahead and quit. Vick is either going to cop a plea, or he's going to be convicted. You don't have all three of your supposed cohorts who were in on the deal turn on you for no reason. And I called the RICO shot from day one.
Not that we need to restate this at all, but 7's days wearing red and black are officially over, the minute he (absolutely will, indeed) signs the plea agreement. He'll be back in the NFL in three years, as a backup.
Hey, it's not like ex-cons haven't ever played in the NFL (see Tony Robinson, replacement player, Washington Redskins 1987)
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