Investigators search property owned by NFL star Michael Vick

[Old School]

The man who could take Michael Vick's position on the Falcons roster, if the team disciplines Vick, offered his support to the embattled quarterback. Falcons back-up QB Joey Harrington said Vick would not lose his support if investigators officially link Vick to illegal dog fighting. "Michael is not a bad guy," Harrington offerd, "If it does come out that he had some involvement...he will have to deal with the penalties that come with it, but he will not lose my support as a teammate."

Harrington spoke minutes after Vick bumped into a reporter at an event planned for Falcons players and fans. The reporter asked him new questions about the case and his career. "In the end, will you be exonerated," he asked. Vick simply replied, "No comment."

"I just hope he didn't have anything to do with it," one fan told the media. Other fans greeted Vick with hugs and kisses during the event.

No charges have been filed in the investigation, which federal investiators are now looking into. However, Surry County Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter could request a special grand jury session to present the case.

___________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE - Vick confident fans will continue support despite investigation

With his chin up, and chest out, Michael Vick remained confident his fans support will sustain him throught the investigation surround a home he owned where nearly 70 wounded pit bulls were found last month. "Man I still got support; everywhere I go, all around the world, people still support Mike Vick," he said. Vick ran into reporters Monday night during an event planned for Falcons players and fans to celebrate the upcoming football season.

Vick's comments came hours after Surry County Commonwealth attorney Gerald Poindexter met with investigators including an official with the US Department of Agriculture. That agency's role in the case is not clear.

Vick had not been charged in the case, however, Surry County Sheriff Harold Brown said Vick had also not been cleared either. County prosecutor Gerald Poindexter could present the case to a grand jury scheduled to meet Tuesday or call a special grand jury session if necessary.

"I ain't worried about that," Vick said. "My job is to win football games. When asked if he thought his name would be cleared in the case, Vick had no comment.

___________________________________________________________________________

NEW DEVELOPMENTS - Redskins RB backpeddles on statement supporting Vick

Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis released a statement clarifying comments he made to WAVY-TV last week about the Vick's alleged involvement in dog fighting. Friday Portis told 10 On Your Side, "I don't know if [Vick] was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dogs. If that's what he wants to do, do it." In his latest statement, Portis offered, "In the recent interview I gave concerning dog fighting, I want to make it clear I do not take part in dog fighting or condone dog fighting in any manner."

Stay with WAVY News 10 for the latest on this developing story.

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS - Federal agency now involved in dog fighting probe

The US Department of Agriculture is now investigating dog fighting allegations surrounding NFL quarterback and Newport News native Michael Vick. At least one official with the agency met with Surry County Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter and other investigators Monday morning. Surry County Sheriff Harold Brown would not elaborate on the USDA's involvement in the case.

Officials offered no other new information following the meeting. Poindexter gave no insight as to the direction the case is headed. The prosecutor, who had previously been criticized for not moving faster on the case, offered few words when grilled by 10 On Your Side's Lori Crouch. "Do you think you're dragging your feet," Crouch asked. "I hope not," Poindexter responded. He gave no response when asked if it was common practice to wait a month before making decisions on an investigation.

WAVY News 10 broke the story last month when investigators seized nearly 70 wounded dogs from a Surry County home Vick owned at the time. The house has since been sold.

Although no charges were filed following the meeting, Brown hinted charges could come soon but would not give a specific date. "We just need a little more time for investigative purposes," he said adding, "I don't think that's out of the question."

Poindexter would not say if the investigation would be presented to a grand jury scheduled to meet Tuesday. He does have authority to call a special grand jury session if necessary.

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[IntenseOperator]

kelly I like your posts - I generally agree with everything you post. You should contribute more! Good to see intelligent women on MJs :SIB

you guys gonna compare purses next

 

[toastonastick]

Anyone in Atlanta see the interview last night on Fox 5 where Buck Lanford asked Vick if he was going to be "exonerated" in this incident. Vick looked like someone just asked him to call an audible at the line. :com:

Not sure that word comes up in Mike's Oxford dictionary.

I did and thought the same thing. The interview ended with out an answer to that question

 

[Deucer]

f##k that! the DOGS are hurting. ...yeah, very convenient for vick to turn things around NOW. if he is in this as deep as it seems, i hope he goes to prison and is never allowed back in the nfl. no sympathy.

I agree. If in fact he has anything to do with this sh*t.

 

[Handi Capper]

Sweet! You guys may be bumpin beavers before we know it!

:00hour

:nono:

 

[The Sponge]

:nono:

If there wasn't no class he wouldn't have any at all. He must be big with the ladies.

 

[Old School]

Pit bulls in dogfighting

Pit bulls in dogfighting

Pit bulls in dogfighting case likely to be euthanized

May 23, 2007 03:23 PM EDT




CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) -- Dozens of pit bulls at the center of an investigation into dogfighting on property owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick likely will be euthanized once the investigation is complete.

Officials with the Humane Society say "almost 100 percent" of the animals seized in dogfighting investigations will be euthanized because they can't be placed as family pets.

Spokesman John Goodwin says other dogs also are likely to be put down because the seized animals take up kennel space.

Authorities captured sixty-six dogs -- mostly pit bulls -- April 25th when police conducting a drug investigation raided the house, which Vick has since sold. Police also found items associated with dog fighting, including a "pry bar" used to pry apart a dog's jaws. No charges have been filed.

Vick is a registered dog breeder. He said he let a cousin, Davon Boddie, live at the house, and that he didn't know a large kennel on the property could be involved in criminal activity.

 

[Happy Hippo]

I am a pacifist, but if I was ever going to kill anyone it would be someone who abuses animals. I will never understand. It makes me physically sick to think about it.

 

[Old School]

Updated: May 29, 2007, 9:16 PM ET
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RICHMOND, Va. -- Authorities have a search warrant to look for as many as 30 dog carcasses on property owned by Michael Vick that is at the center of a dog fighting investigation. But the warrant has not been executed.

In a news release, Sheriff Harold D. Brown said the warrant issued May 23 has not been executed at the request of Brown and Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter. The release did not say why the two officials leading the investigation into possible dog fighting on the 15-acre property made the request.



Clayton: Quick Hits

It's pretty evident finding direct, indisputable evidence of Michael Vick's involvement in dog fighting won't be easy. The bad news for Vick is having this case drag on will continue to cost him fans and support, writes John Clayton. Quick Hits
? Steve Wyche discusses negativity around Vick and Falcons on The SportsBash


However, ABC affiliate WVEC-TV in Virginia is reporting that Poindexter and the county sheriff "did not like the language" of the warrant approved by a state magistrate.

Brown was not in the office and is the only member of the sheriff's department who can comment on the case, a dispatcher said Tuesday. Poindexter also was out of the office and did not return a message left by The Associated Press seeking comment.

No charges have been filed, but Poindexter has said he is confident when sufficient evidence is gathered, it will be brought before a special grand jury.

The warrant is based on investigator W.R. Brinkman being told by an informant that seven pit bulls were destroyed on the property in Surry County and buried in shallow graves two days before a drug raid on April 25. It cites "reliable sources" as saying that as many as 30 dogs are buried in various locations on the property, much of which is surrounded by a black fence and secluded behind a massive two-story brick home.

A copy of the warrant was provided to the AP by The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk.

The document gives investigators permission to search for pit bull terrier/fighting dog carcasses on the grounds and in buildings behind the black privacy fence in the rear of the home, which Vick has claimed he rarely visited. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback put the home up for sale shortly after the dog fighting investigation began and sold it the first day, but it is unclear whether the sale has been completed.

The warrant also allows authorities to search "all outbuildings which have blood-covered wood floors or walls" for anything that could be used in the killing of animals -- including ropes, guns, rifles, spent shotgun shells, spent bullet cartridges, shovels and "any and all evidence contributing to dog fighting and animal cruelty."

Police raided the home as part of a drug investigation. They seized 66 dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, and a variety of equipment that could be associated with dog fighting.

While items such as treadmills and syringes seized could be typical of a legitimate breeding operation, which Vick is registered to have, items like a "pry bar" used to pry apart a dog's jaws, and bloodstained carpeting raised dog fighting suspicions.

A native of Newport News who starred at Virginia Tech, Vick has blamed family members at the home for taking advantage of his generosity. He claimed he didn't know a large kennel on the property could be involved in criminal activity.

News of the search warrant comes after a report by ESPN on Sunday citing a "reliable police informant" as saying Vick is "one of the heavyweights" in dog fighting circles and has been known to bet in the tens of thousands of dollars on fights.

News of the search warrant comes after a confidential source who said he's been involved in dog fighting for more than 30 years gave an interview to ESPN's "Outside the Lines," where he referred to Vick as one of the "heavyweights" of the dog fighting world.

"He's a pit bull fighter," the source said of Vick. "He's one of the ones that they call 'the big boys' -- that's who bets a large dollar. And they have the money to bet large money. As I'm talking about large money -- $30,000 to $40,000 -- even higher. He's one of the heavyweights."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

 

[THE KOD]

Old School

I was unable to find a picture of Poindexter the Prosecuter in Surrey cty.

I finnally saw him on the news and he looks about as hapless as a homeless guy.

I dont think Vick has much to worry about. He may need to throw some pay off cash around , but that should be about the extent of it.:SIB

 

[Old School]

May 31, 2007

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) -- Informants have come forward saying Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was involved in dogfighting, a prosecutor investigating the case said.

Brown and Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter told WAVY-TV of Portsmouth, Va., there is evidence linking Vick to dogfighting, which is a felony in Virginia. ADVERTISEMENT


"We have informants," Poindexter told the station in an interview Wednesday. "We have people who are volunteering to make those allegations."

The case began April 25 when police conducting a drug investigation raided the house Vick owned in rural Surry County and found dozens of dogs. They also found items associated with dog fighting, including a "pry bar" used to pry apart a dog's jaws.

No charges have been filed in the case.

Vick, a registered dog breeder, has blamed relatives for taking advantage of his generosity and insisted he's rarely at the house -- even though he's the owner. He has since sold the home.

Poindexter also told WAVY-TV that he has not yet executed a search warrant on the property because he didn't like the language of the warrant.



Updated on Thursday, May 31, 2007 5:01 am EDT

 

[Agent 0659]

Thank you Scott and Old School for keeping this thread updated!

 

[THE KOD]

I hope it wont happen but there are probably bait dogs buried on the property which is one of the most inhumane things I have ever heard of. They use undersized innocent dogs that they steal from people to let the fighting dogs kill for practice what kind of sicko would get a kick from doing something like this? Mike Vick the supposed role model for kids that are fans of the NFL thats who! A friend of my moms had her dog stolen and it was found dead at a dog fighting facility a few years back and it hurt this lady so bad to know her beloved pets fate that she still isnt over it now. If he is found guilty he and any of his posse should get the fullest punishment possible by law NO MATTER WHO HE IS OR HOW MUCH MONEY HE HAS! Money does not excuse you from being a savage SOB and ignorance is no excuse either!
..............................................................

this was on a ajc blog. I never heard about bait dogs.

How much worse can they do than that .

 

[Old School]

Gerald Poindexter explains why he is not executing search warrant

Gerald Poindexter explains why he is not executing search warrant

Surry Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald Poindexter is greatly concerned about challenges to his case. Poindexter and Surry Sheriff Harold Brown have decided not to execute a search warrant looking for blood spattered wood and as many as 30 dog carcasses buried on the 15-acre Surry County property.

When asked why he did not execute the warrant, Poindexter said, "Because I didn't like the language of the search warrant."

"Deputy Brinkman made a mistake. He should have gotten some legal advice during the affidavit for the search warrant," said Poindexter.
Poindexter called it the domino effect. If one search is determined unconstitutional, searches after that could be illegal too and the case could fall apart.

Neither Sheriff Harold Brown nor Deputy Brinkman were at the Sheriff's department and did not return our calls.

When asked, "At this moment in time, do we have any evidence that puts Vick at dog fighting?" Poindexter replied, "Yes."
Poindexter said there are people who will make those claims. "We have informants. We have people who are volunteering to make those allegations."

Poindexter has come under fire for a perceived dragging of the feet in a possible Vick prosecution.

Poindexter said he is reminded every day of Durham, North Carolina Prosecutor Mike Nyfong who went public with accusations of rape against three Duke lacrosse players that turned out to be untrue.

"I go back to that. He was pushed by politics. I'm not going to be driven by that," explained Poindexter.

A Surry County grand jury may get the case July 24th. Poindexter also could request a special grand jury before then.

 

[Old School]

Michael Vick's property in Surry seems to keep drawing unwanted attention. This time, it isn't the media who were accused of being intrusive.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Vick's home on Moonlight Road was burglarized sometime between May 7 and May 18.

"I don't think it had anything to do with possible evidence," in the dogfighting investigation, Commonwealth attorney Gerald Poindexter was quoted as saying. "I think it was some feuding over the spoils."

The police report obtained by the Journal-Constitution stated that three plasma televisions (62", 42" and 32"), two floor buffers, a wet/dry vacuum, an upright washer and dryer and a leather sofa valued at $17,550, were taken from the home.

It said that the burglars entered through a back side window, and that someone had tried to enter through a front window. It also stated that the alarm system wasn't working.

Investigators told the paper that the burglary is not believed to have contaminated the grounds where investigators seized evidence that Poindexter said showed dogfighting had taken place on the property.

There was nothing to indicate that the burglary was one of the reasons cited for Poindexter's refusal to execute a search warrant on the property to look for any possible dog carcasses.

2007 WorldNow and WAVY

 

[Old School]

DEVELOPING - Vick football camp at CNU canceled

DEVELOPING - Vick football camp at CNU canceled

WAVY News 10 has learned the Michael Vick Football Camp scheduled to begin June 30 at Christopher Newport University has been cancelled due to "scheduling issues." According to an email obtained by WAVY News 10 and our media partners at the Daily Press sent from a camp official, participants in the camp will be refunded immediately. Prices for the camp ranged from $250 - $350 dollars, according to michaelvickfootballcamp.com. The website had been shutdown when 10 On Your Side learned of the cancellation.

 

[Old School]

Feds descend on Vick property for search under sealed warrant

Feds descend on Vick property for search under sealed warrant

SURRY, Va.-Federal law enforcement officials descended on a home owned by Michael Vick on Thursday armed with a search warrant that suggests they're taking over an investigation into the Falcons quarterback's possible involvement in dogfighting.

More than a dozen vehicles went to the home early in the afternoon and investigators searched inside before turning their attention to the area where officials found dozens of dogs in late April and evidence that suggested the home was involved in a dogfighting operation.

Surry County officials had secured a search warrant in late May based on an informant's information to look for as many as 30 dog carcasses buried on the property. The warrant never was executed because Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter said he had issues with the way it was worded.

That search warrant expired Thursday.

"What is foreign to me is the federal government getting into a dogfighting case," Poindexter said. "I know it's been done, but what's driving this? Is it this boy's celebrity? Would they have done this if it wasn't Michael Vick?"

Poindexter said he was "absolutely floored" that federal officials got involved, and that he believes he and Sheriff Harold D. Brown handled the investigation properly.

"Apparently these people want it," Poindexter said. "They want it, and I don't believe they want it because of the serious criminal consequences involved. ... They want it because Michael Vick may be involved."

Poindexter said he found out about a sealed search warrant filed in the U.S. Attorney's office about the time federal investigators executed it Thursday.

"If they've made a judgment that we're not acting prudently and with dispatch based on what we have, they've not acting very wisely," Poindexter said.

He said Surry County officials were preparing another search warrant for the property and that the investigative team planned to meet to make sure they had all the experts needed to make the search most effective.

"There's a larger thing here, and it has nothing to do with any breach of protocol," Poindexter said. "There's something awful going on here. I don't know if it's racial. I don't know what it is."

State police assisted investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Attorney's office in executing the warrant, Virginia State Police Sgt. D.S. Carr said, declining to comment further.

Thursday evening, a state police evidence collection truck was parked inside the fence surrounding the house. Investigators could be seen carrying a large sheet of plywood and a box.
The U.S. Attorney's office would not confirm a search warrant was filed.

Messages left at Brown's office were not returned, and a dispatcher said he left for the day at around 4 p.m.

An after-hours call to Vick's attorney, Larry Woodward of Virginia Beach, was not immediately returned.

During an April 25 drug raid on the home Vick owns in the county, authorities seized 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls, and equipment that suggested someone at the property was involved in a dogfighting operation.

A search warrant affidavit said some of the dogs were in individual kennels and about 30 were tethered with "heavy logging-type chains" buried in the ground. The chains allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact, one of myriad findings on the property that suggested a dogfighting operation.

Others included a rape stand, used to hold non-receptive dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified to be used by dogs; a "pry bar" used to open the clamped-down mouths of dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting the authorities believe was used in dog fights. Carpeting gives dogs traction in a plywood fighting pit.

Vick has claimed he rarely visits the home and was unaware it could be involved in a criminal enterprise. He also has blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. Vick's cousin, Davon Boddie, was living at the home at the time of the raids.

Vick, a registered dog breeder, has said in more recent interviews that his lawyers have advised him not to discuss the investigation.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[Old School]

more here.....


http://wavy.com/

 

[abc]

anyone read mikes cousins quotes?

Mike is a good guy, he just does sit ups and reads the bible every night :mj07:

 

[Old School]

Davon Boddie's drug arrest triggered the dogfighting allegations that have been nipping at the heels of Atlanta Falcon's quarterback Michael Vick for the last seven weeks. Boddie, Vick's cousin, lived at Vick's Surry County mansion. Boddie was the subject of a search warrant in April that ultimately lead to another search yesterday-- this time by federal investigators. He denies the accusations, saying "Nah there's no dogs in the house, there's nothing like that man. Everything's a conspiracy..."

As it flew over the Vick property yesterday, Chopper 10 showed a state police truck with the words 'evidence collection'. But what evidence the feds collected is sealed and even Gerald Poindexter does not know.

The Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney no longer speaks with reporters on camera but today off camera he denied any notion federal investigators were taking over the case, saying there are now 'parallel investigations.'

Poindexter also says at this point he sees no need in searching Vick's property again, hoping he says that federal and Surry County investigators will share evidence. The evidence includes 66 dogs confiscated by Surry County in April and may include dog carcasses possibly found yesterday.

All federal agencies contacted will not even acknowledge an investigation. But Chopper 10 showed Department of Agriculture inspectors digging up something in the land behind Vick's home on Moonlight Road yesterday.

Chopper 10 also captured people with the USDA taking photos of an empty dog food bag.

Poindexter does question the motives of federal authorities saying, "I don't believe they would have come in, if it were not Michael Vick's property.

Poindexter says he also plans to present a case to a grand jury when it convenes at the end of July but whether that case will be against Michael Vick remains unclear.


2007 WorldNow and WAVY.