As most folks have read, Michael Vick received a 23 month prison sentence for his participation in a dog fighting ring. While there is so much I can rant about with this–the expenditure of federal dollars for a criminal prosecution for dogfighting with so many other problems in our (local) court system–I will forgo that. I certainly do not think that what Vick did was right, but in the grand scheme of criminal undertakings, it had to be one of the more minor offenses for which one can be found guilty.
Of course, that also means that Deadspin has a chance to post my favorite PhotoShop effort. I still chuckle every time I see this photo.
Mr. Vick wasn’t just “participating”, he owned the dog kennel and ring, and the man drowned one dog and hung another. His property held a mass burial site for several dogs, god knows how they died. Then he proceeded to lie to a federal judge. Tax dollars wisely spent.
I agree with Cham. Had Michael Vick been a hands-off kind of guy…yeah, maybe. But he was responsible for what happened to those dogs, and I’m glad he’s being held accountable.
Ladies, I point you in the direction of Mr. Vick’s plea agreement, for which he was sentenced yesterday. He was specifically pleading guilty to the following violations of federal law (and I am ignoring the areas of the Virginia Annotated Code specified in his plea agreement):
18 USC 1952
7 USC 156(a)(1)
7 USC 156(b)
18 USC 371
I don’t dispute that what he and his cohorts did was despicable, deplorable, and cruelty in its most blatant form. Additionally, he lied to Federal authorities concerning his role in the ring and particular violations of his probation. I don’t condone any of this. I still disagree that this prosecution was a wise expenditure of Federal tax dollars.
You’re right, they should’ve just shot him.
I’m okay with jwer’s answer. See? Compromise does work.