Vick Pal Will Plead Guilty
Co-Defendant May Testify Against NFL Star in Dogfighting Case
One of Michael Vick’s co-defendants in a gruesome federal dogfighting case is poised to make a deal with prosecutors.
WSB-TV of Atlanta is reporting that Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Va., will appear Monday in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson to enter a plea agreement in the case.
The 27-year-old Vick, star NFL quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, allegedly bankrolled the purchase of property in Smithfield, Va., that Taylor located on his behalf. Federal prosecutors charge that Taylor incorporated a business known as “Bad Newz Kennels” in order to operate an interstate dogfighting operation run from the Surry County, Va. estate purchased by Vick, who set a single-season National Football League rushing record last season.
The 18-page indictment opened July 17 charged that Taylor also allegedly bought pit bulls and killed at least two that didn’t do well in test fights.
Vick, Taylor and two others are charged with one count of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and a single count of conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal-fighting venture. Each faces up to six years in prison and $350,000 in fines of convicted.
The four men – also including 35-year-old Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach, Va., and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta – all entered not guilty pleas before Hudson in Richmond, Va., on Thursday. All were released without bond but each had provisions set upon them by U.S. Magistrate Dennis Dohnal. Taylor must undergo periodic drug testing.
Taylor’s case was added to to docket late Friday, according to The Associated Press. He is slated to appear at 9 a.m. His attorney, Stephen A. Hudgins, of Newport News, Va., did not return telephone calls. Nor did a Vick spokesman. And federal prosecutors aren’t talking, either. A federal prosecutor did tell the court on Thursday that more charges would probably be added next month in a superceding indictment.
Several defense attorneys not involved in the case told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that a plea bargain on Taylor’s behalf probably means he’s ready to testify against Vick in the trial that is slated to get underway on Nov. 26.
"This could be very bad news for Vick," said Richmond lawyer Steven D. Benjamin. Added attorney Michael Morchower, who previously served as a federal prosecutor, "Whoever is the first in line gets the best deal. That's the problem with co-defendants. They are going to want to save themselves. And the government wants cooperation. And the person who cooperates first gets the biggest reward."
Word of Taylor’s scheduled appearance came on the heels of an announcement by Nike, which said it was suspendign its multi-million dollar agreement with Vick and would temporarily cease selling Vick-related footwear. And Reebok – which distributed NFL replica football jerseys – also announced it was pulling its ever-popular No. 7 Vick replica jersey, as well. Chains such as Sports Authority have removed all Vick-related paraphrenelia from its shelves as well.
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