From his previous comments, I thought Virginia prosecutor Gerald Poindexter was burying his head in the sand regarding the accusations that Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was involved in dog fighting. But Poindexter has made further comments, and he sounds like he takes this case seriously. "I'm convinced from what I saw that dog fighting has occurred down there, but who was involved in it I don't know at this point," Poindexter said in a telephone interview, noting that he saw what looked like blood spatters in a room over a garage. "We're going to find out."
The investigators in the case sound absolutely convinced that Vick was involved. The Virginian-Pilot reports:
"We have informants that will place him at these dog fights, yes," said Kathy Strouse, a member of the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force who has helped in the investigation of Surry County property owned by Vick until recently.It's not clear from that reporting whether there is one or more informant who can place Vick at a dog fight, but an eyewitness saying Vick was involved would almost certainly, at the very least, compel NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Vick.Mark Kumpf, past president of the Virginia Animal Control Association and a consultant on the Vick case, said the informant Strouse named to him has helped in several prior criminal investigations and always provided "100 percent reliable" information.
Previously at FanHouse:
Dog Fighting Is Cruel, and Vick Has Questions to Answer
Michael Vick Could Face a Suspension
Report: Michael Vick Bought Syringes for Fighting Dogs
Humane Society Urges Investigation of Michael Vick
Neglected Dogs Found on Property Owned by Mike Vick
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Hummm. A prosecutor talking about guilt in a case before filing charges. Can you say....Duke Lacrosse?
Posted at 9:53PM on May 16th 2007 by Repost
2. The San Diego Chargers decision to swap first round picks with Atlanta six years ago so that the Falcons could pick Vick and the Chargers would end up picking LaDainian Tomlinson...just keeps looking better and better!
Posted at 7:32AM on May 17th 2007 by marty schottenheimer
3. He's still trying to bury his head in the sand, but calling it a witch hunt by animal lovers and vick haters (seems like they'd be in the same category) without sounding like an incompetent jackass was getting too difficult as more of this unfolds.
His new strategy is to say that dog fighting definitely occurred, but Vick did not attend or finance or know about the operation.
Until that evidence comes out. Then he can pretty much kiss his december re-election goodbye. And rightly so--
unfortunately, in America, everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others.
Posted at 8:01AM on May 17th 2007 by Ben McKnight
4. I want to know if Ron Mexico had any involvement in this?
Posted at 8:10AM on May 17th 2007 by ryan leaf
5. Letting one of God's creatures be maimed for our viewing pleasure is awful.
Anyway... when is Boxing Fan House coming out?
Posted at 8:43AM on May 17th 2007 by Tony Romo
6. its a damn shame that you go to catch the latest news on your team and you have to look at 2 dogs fighting.
mr. blank you should throw this low life off of your team with cause and cancel his contract. he is a mediocre qb at best and we will be mired in loserville until he is gone. he is a coach killer, a team killer, a fan killer, and a league killer. i doubt that you would let the ceo or a director of home depot have these accusations against him along with the other troubles and let him keep his job.
as a life long falcon fan i am sick of this classless
loser who admits he doesnt try sometimes being the face of our team.
Posted at 9:44AM on May 17th 2007 by glenn mosley
7. How can this not be effecting his ability to perform his job? If certain players knew of this, they know that he is guilty and aren't going to work for him. And even if, the other players didn't know, how hard would you be working in the off seasons, when you can read between the lines, that some sort of punishment will come out of this even if its just from the NFL. I personally think that if I were the falcons organization, I would take matters into my own hands and do what is best for the team. The Falcons could possibly be in trouble too if they knew and are trying to cover for him, so why let that happen, bench his sorry As*!!! Maybe if they benched him for 4 games or so, then the NFL would consider that fair and stay out of it. If they don't do anything, his suspension could be much longer. I don't see how the Falcons can win and do there jobs week after week with this pressure. Start Joey, might not be as exciting to watch, BUT he is a class act guy and will take the negativity off the Falcons. It would be a good lesson to all, that your reputation is as important as your football abilities. Who is to say, maybe Joey will do good in Atlanta and then people would be saying Michael Who??
Posted at 10:07AM on May 17th 2007 by joeyharrington
8. Harrington or whoever will be starting for the Falcons this coming season, cause Ron Mexico will be probably suspended, get ready for a bumpy ride through the 07' season.
Posted at 12:24PM on May 17th 2007 by Justin
9. It's becoming more and more obvious what kind of people the Vick brothers are. Here's a question for you, if your team needed a quarterback, would you want Michael Vick? I'll bet if you are all honest you would say no way. Atlanta deserves what they get with him for enabling all of his behavior. It might be a different story if he was a great quarterback, this is America after all.
Posted at 11:52AM on May 18th 2007 by Word
10. It is not a race thing at all, but the history with Vick speaks for it's own. How many more calls do we need before he can no longer get away with it. I really hate to say it but The town is judged by its rapes, robbery's, car jackings, thugs ganstas, corn rows, baggy pants, girlfreind beatings, drugs and Vick. Come on Blank would you put up with this at The Home Depot? Show some class, lets clean up Atlanta and let the rest of the world know we and not what it looks like.
Posted at 12:09PM on May 18th 2007 by J Ingram
11. #10 said it best clean up the whole garbage dump. That being the city of atlanta and falcons, corn rows baggie pants rich thugs you should be proud.
Posted at 3:25PM on May 18th 2007 by wait and see
12. J Ingram is right about letting the rest of the world know Atlanta is a better place than portrayed. I am living in Chile and get my news from CNN International. It isn't a stretch to say that the whole world is watching. I've seen the scarred face of a dog, the training area, the equipment being hauled out. The worst thing I've seen is Poindexter trying to push the whole thing under the rug, then change his tune a bit when his comments came back to bite him in the a$$. He started by contradicting the statements of the investigators who he accompanied to the scene, and alledgedly told that he had plenty of evidence for a case.
What bugs me most is that Georgia justice is giving the whole country a black eye. CNN International's coverage is hardly sympathetic considering they are based in Atlanta. Experience tells me that the international bureau is once again quick to throw guilt at the US in their coverage.
I don't care if it takes 6 months to conclude a solid case, but Poindexter has certainly acted in public previously as if higher powers were pulling his chain. The investigators have indicated that this is not such a complicated case, aside from Vick being involved. The time has come to lay some paper on the people who desrved to be charged.
Posted at 11:04PM on May 20th 2007 by Gary Malmberg
13. If Michael Vick is fighting dogs he should be banned from the NFL as well as do a considerable amount of jail time.
Posted at 2:58PM on May 21st 2007 by jmwith4k9s
14. people are stepping up and admitting they saw vick and talked to vick at this property he owned. he undoubtedly knew of these dogs and they were bred and fought by him and others at that property. when all the evidence is unveiled i am hopeful it will point toward vick so he will not get away with this inexcusable cruelty to these dogs. as for clinton portis, i am a redskins fan but no longer will i cheer on portis as he tries to help the skins win. i cant cheer for a lowlife like him who would support such activities. he has shown his true colors. i hope he isnt able to play for the skins this season. he is tainting my beloved skins with his stupidity and inhumanity.
Posted at 7:56PM on May 24th 2007 by leigha
15. What he has done is deplorable. The animal rights activists in the state of Virginia are very careful in gathering their facts, safe to assume he has done this. I hope this man is fired and banned from sports. If he is so cruel to innocent animals then how can we assume that he will respect the welfare of humans.
I am a volunteer dog rescuer in Virginia and behavior like this with animals many times excalates towards humans.
Such a cruel person should not be glorified by others. He can and should be replaced by a better player.
And be expected to pay large fines and donate to the Humane Society. Show his human side if he has one.
laura
Posted at 9:20PM on May 29th 2007 by laura beall
16. THUG! THUG! THUG!
Mr.Blank, could you point me to the nearest
Lowe's hardware.
Posted at 6:21PM on Jul 25th 2007 by rc
17. I hate say it but I am still a mike vic fan. I don't like what he did no dout but he has to face the thrown of mercy not us. He did what he did so be it let him get his punishment and get on with it. Just like we have to make a living so do he. Just not dog fighting. I will still support vic and hope to see him back on the football field.
Posted at 7:37PM on Jul 25th 2007 by Leon with pitbull