Vick's crony to cop a plea

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:15 pm

BY OHM YOUNGMISUK and CHRISTIAN RED

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS

Saturday, July 28th 2007, 5:25 PM

Barely a day after he joined three other co-defendants - including Falcons quarterback Michael Vick - in pleading not guilty to dogfighting charges in a Richmond, Va. federal courthouse, Tony Taylor was the first to accept a plea bargain. The 34-year-old Taylor, who is from Hampton, Va., will appear before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson at 9 a.m. Monday, according to The Associated Press. Taylor was the alleged ringleader, according to the 18-page indictment handed down July 17, responsible for identifying Vick's property in rural Smithfield, Va., as the location where "Bad Newz Kennels" would house and train pit bulls and stage fights.

Taylor's attorney, Stephen Ashton Hudgins, did not return a call by the Daily News last night. The other three defendants - Vick, 35-year-old Purnell Peace and 28-year-old Quanis Phillips - still are scheduled for trial Nov. 26, but Taylor's bombshell may suggest a domino effect, especially with Vick's football star severely dimmed ever since the allegations surfaced.

"Usually what happens in that (kind of) case, one of the co-defendants will give information. Whoever talks first ends up with the best deal," William Frick, former prosecutor for the South Carolina Attorney General's office who has prosecuted several dogfighting cases, told The News. "I don't know if that happened in this case, but typically whoever comes first gets the best deal."

Vick, 27, Peace and Phillips still face conspiracy charges involving competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines. If found guilty, each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 in fines for conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and one year and $100,000 for sponsoring a dog in a fighting venture.

In the indictment, Taylor is identified as executing "at least two dogs in 2002 that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at (Vick's Smithfield home) by shooting one dog and electrocuting the other."

DAMAGED GOODS: The NFL quickly is making Vick jerseys and memorabilia collector's items.

Yesterday, in response to the quarterback being indicted last week on dogfighting charges, the league pulled all of his items off its on-line shopping site, nflshop.com. "It's not appropriate under the circumstances," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "What we are doing is suspending those sales. It's for the immediate future."

McCarthy also said that Reebok, the exclusive supplier of NFL jerseys, has ceased selling and producing Vick jerseys. Also yesterday, Nike suspended its shoe contract with the three-time Pro Bowler.

Vick was banned from Falcons training camp by commissioner Roger Goodell. It's possible Goodell will suspend him for the 2007 season if the league's own investigation shows Vick violated the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Not only are No. 7 Falcons jerseys with Vick's name no longer available on the NFL's shopping site, but it's not possible to customize a No. 7 Falcons jersey with a nickname for Vick, such as Ookie, which is used in the indictment, or something more derisive. Those variations are considered "inappropriate, derogatory or profane," according to the site. Autographed balls by Vick and all Vick items are now off the site as well.

Meanwhile, Donruss - one of four major trading card companies - has decided to pull Vick's card from any future 2007 releases, according to Beckett Media, which covers the collectibles industry.

[love]light · Post by **[love]light** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:55 am

ha ha ha ha SUCKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How you feel now, big man? Thought you were awfully tough using animals to show your brawn. Now what? You have nothing.

RG, my dear, he is going down. I wish I could be there when his **** hits the fan.

Why does this case make me so effin' full of rage?

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:24 pm

He still hasnt been tried and convicted of anything !

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:28 pm

He's being tried in the court of public opinion.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:38 pm

RedGlitter;671315 wrote: He's being tried in the court of public opinion.

Based on what though ?

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:55 pm

Well, it will be interesting if they leak some of the crony's deposition to the public-they better take it all down.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:04 pm

Nomad;671341 wrote: Based on what though ?

Based on having something like 56-66 fighting dogs on his property along with assorted distasteful equipment sometimes used in dog breeding and exercising but more often than not, used in fighting rings. Maybe you could call it circumstantial evidence. Not sure.