Vick: I'm Not Guilty in Dogfighting Case
One of the nation’s marquee professional football players, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he has run an illegal dogfighting operation out of his property in rural Surry County, Va. since 2001.
A federal magistrate in Richmond entered the plea today and released Vick and three other defendants without bond, setting a Nov. 26 trial date, reports the New York Times. Meanwhile, Vick has been barred by the National Football League from practicing with the Falcons for the upcoming season as the league conducts its own investigation.
Dogs used in the fights were treated cruelly, contends an ESPN story, describing the alleged operation in detail. An ABAJournal.com post last week about the charges includes a link to the indictment.
