Witness: Vick Forced Family Pets To Battle Killer Pit Bulls For Laughs

RICHMOND, Va. — Michael Vick put family pets in rings with pit bulls and thought it was funny watching the trained killers injure or kill the helpless dogs, a witness told federal investigators during the dogfighting investigation that brought Vick down.

In a 17-page report filed Aug. 28, 2008, by case agent James Knorr of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and released Friday under the Freedom of Information Act, a person identified as confidential witness No. 1 said Vick placed pets in the ring against pit bulls owned by "Bad Newz Kennels" at least twice and watched as the pit bulls "caused major injuries."

The witness said Vick and co-defendants Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips "thought it was funny to watch the pit bull dogs belonging to Bad Newz Kennels injure or kill the other dogs."

Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison in Dec. 2007, and is due to be released from the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kan., on July 20, 2009. He returned to Virginia on Thursday and is being held in Hopewell pending his appearance in Surry County Circuit Court on Tuesday, where he is expected to plead guilty to two felony charges but receive a suspended sentence.

The report, which has some names and other information redacted to protect some of the parties involved, also details the killing of several dogs at property Vick owned on Moonlight Road in Surry County in mid-April 2007, just days before the first search warrant was executed on the property, turning a drug investigation into the one that sent Vick to prison.

It says Vick was administered a polygraph test by the FBI in October 2007 and denied taking part in the killing of dogs in mid-April. When told he had failed that part of the test, Vick recanted his story and admitted to helping hang six to eight underperforming dogs.

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, once the highest paid player in the NFL, has been suspended indefinitely by the league and his football future is uncertain. He's also in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings with $16 million in assets and $20.4 million in liabilities.

Peace, who also was convicted in the case, said there were times he suggested that dogs unwilling to fight be given away, but that Vick said "they got to go," meaning be killed.

The dogs were killed by shooting, hanging, electrocution and drowning, and in at least one instance, according to one of the witnesses, when Vick and Phillips killed a red pit bull by "slamming it to the ground several times before it died, breaking the dog's back or neck."

When he finally admitted to his role in the dogfighting operation, Vick also said he purchased his first pull bull, named "Champagne," while a student at Virginia Tech in 1999. The dog was never used in fights, but was bred with other dogs, according to the report.

Champagne was among the 53 pit bulls seized from the home in a raid in April 2007.

Comments

[AtlantaVoter]

Sickening. There should be a letter writing campaign to ensure that Michael Vick never retyrns to the NFL. It would set an awful example to children if he were reinstated.

[mlr710]

Vick will return to the NFL and all of the fake outrage that never had anything to do with pitbulls fighting in the first place, will be turned onto the next high profile athlete or entertainer that runs afoul of the law.

[jamie461]

You're wrong about the outrage. It was definitely not fake, and it had everything to do with dogfighting, which is a violent subculture in this country and a racket that is worth millions and millions of dollars.

[RODERICK098]

If Vick is allowed back into the NFL AND THEIR SPONSORS WILL BE BOYCOTTED ALL OVER THE PLACE.

[mlr710]

Yeah...because people who go to NFL games are really concerned about something OTHER than their team winning. Please.....drunk drivers, domestic abusers, cocaine users, are playing right now. Look at half the Hall of Fame....you really think Budweiser is gonna be threatened?? Nope.

[MagisterLudi]

Vick placed pets in the ring against pit bulls owned by "Bad Newz Kennels" at least twice and watched as the pit bulls "caused major injuries."

Vick and co-defendants Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips "thought it was funny to watch the pit bull dogs belonging to Bad Newz Kennels injure or ki l l the other dogs."

Michael Vick put family pets in rings with pit bulls and thought it was funny watching the trained k i ll ers injure or ki l l the helpless dogs,

[landoffools]

Karma is destined to greet you upon your release, Mr. Vick !

[mlr710]

Is Karma the owner of the Detroit Lions?

[AlsoSarah]

Is there any way that we can keep this monster in jail? If he can/oes this to animals, he is certainly capable of doing this to humans.

[Shannon2008]

If you agree to pay for his incarceration, then I'm cool with it. He can stay as long as your money is willing to keep him there.

I, as a taxpayer, shouldn't have to subsidize his incarceration any longer.

[MyVesta]

Yes, no doubt the Feds will be contacting you, Shannon2008, to ask for your input. And I'm sure you'll be getting a refund for your portion of his incarceration fees.

He has been convicted and sentenced.

[NeverRepublican]

ANYONE in jail is being subsidised by tax dollars...

Newsflash...the United States has MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL than any other country...

And you're worried about keeping this class-A s c u m bag behind bars for a few more years???

Get real. He should stay in for another 5.

[MizLiz]

Especially since he was probably the Big Man on Campus in jail...but his ego got a huge boost. Those inmates don't see anything wrong with what he was doing.

[Bushwillresign]

We all heard many terrible things Vick and Co. did to innocent dogs, however we hadn't heard before how much enjoyment he received from torturing and killing dogs.
He should have to care for abused dogs for a year. Dogs with one eye, 2 or 3 legs, scars all over, inside and out. Dogs that can't stop trembling when a human approaches. I believe you get the picture.
Then and only then, can M Vick come out and play with the rest of us.

[mlr710]

And who cares for the children who are mauled by their family pet pitbulls??

[jamie461]

They wouldn't have been mauled if the dogs had not been bred and trained for aggressiveness. You are commenting on something that you apparently don't know much about.

[Mickey7]

Not following your logic here. You suggest there is some sort of connection between the two, but thinking that it's wrong for animals to be subjected to horrible abuse is not equivalent with thinking it's okay for children to be mauled. In fact, I read through the posts and found not even one "pro-mauling" comment, so it's hard to know what you are getting at. From your comment, it sounds like you think what Vick did was justified because he was only abusing and mutilating Pit Bulls and clearly they deserve it. Is that what you're trying to say? Do you actually believe that all Pit Bulls are aggressive killers? If so, you really need to do some more reading both on dogs in general and on breeds that get a bad rap for behavior. There are as many fatal attacks by Rottweilers as there are by Pit Bulls, they just don't garner the media attention for some reason. Great Danes, Mastiffs, Boxers and German Shepherds all have been implicated in serious/fatal bite incidents. Any dog can be dangerous, it's all a matter of how they are treated and trained. People who are not capable of training a dog appropriately or who think its cool to have a scary aggressive dog should not have dogs to begin with and they should certainly not have them around small children.

[mstewart35]

Yes, Bushwillresign, the "enjoyment", the cackling exhilaration of wanton cruelty, the joy of the Demon Witch as she stabs the air with her nails. Can't you feel the delicious psychosis? I wish your solution would cure this kind of sickness, but I think it needs something much more profound and intense.

[MyVesta]

That would be like putting Gary Glitter in charge of a Thai orphanage. In other words, a reward for his depraved activities.

[TravelinMan357]

Humane Societies put dogs to death all the time everyday. To me it doesn't matter if they die in a fight, or by the needle. They still die by someone else's hand.

[MyVesta]

You sounded so reasonable, before. Now you're saying that it's the same thing to die in a violent fight as it is to be euthanised with a shot? It's either/or? Just the same? Wow, I over-estimated your intelligence.

[mstewart35]

Right on, MyVesta! Being ripped to pieces, while some lunatic gets his jollies, is a long way from being euthanized by injection. Further, if humane societies did not euthanize animals, they would not be able to house them, they would not be able to offer them for adoption, they would not be able to neuter them, and they would not be able to exist. Cities would be overrun with animal packs of ever-increasing size. Humane societies serve a necessary service and do many largely thankless jobs for us. To compare Vick to humane societies is low mental. Shame on you, Travelin.

[commonsense2]

And to us we don't care if you die by needle or a fight. As a matter of fact, why don't you do us a favor and do that today?

After all, a dog who is a guide for the blind has done more service for humanity than you will ever do.

You ignorant man from an ignorant group of people.

[Mickey7]

Wow. A little harsh, don't you think? I don't agree with TravelinMan's comment either, but to wish violence on anybody is a little ironic when the gist of this whole forum is about how obscene this type of violence is. Isn't it possible to disagree without getting really nasty about it?

[katielady]

This thug should be in prison for life. He is on the list of those seeking pardons. I hope somebody tracks this jerk down.. come what may...

[mlr710]

And where should the guys in the NFL who have been convicted of domestic/spousal abuse be?? Or do you care??

[MyVesta]

Oh, here we go again:

Against Animal Cruelty? Must mean you're (1) pro-domestic violence, (2) pro-child abuse (3), pro-war(s), (4) pro-global warming etc. ad nauseum

[TravelinMan357]

What Mike Vick did was repugnant, but he's paying his debt to society. However, the irony is that Sarah Palin can look out from her Cessna plane and shoot wild dogs, hunt polar bears, have turkeys beheaded as a prop for another media interview, and the MSM never bats an eye.

[MyVesta]

That's a very good point.

And hopefully one day it will be deemed both morally and criminally wrong to kill wolves, bears, etc.

But in the meantime, I am happy to see this one small step -- the greater criminalising of dog-fighting and abuse, being taken seriously. I wish more dog-fighters and abusers were prosecuted, regardless of their status in society. This is a disease which must be eradicated at every level.

And, for the record, before you attack and call me a hypocrite, I am a vegan and do my best not to harm animals.

[Waitaminute]

Yeah, but where is/was the outrage, whether it is now legal or not. Do we have to wait until something is made law, to be outraged? I think its true, the outrage here is fake.

[karen1p]

And for this he gets only 2 years. The mother f**ker should get life without parole. Or better yet, put him in the ring with the killer pit bulls and let's all watch and laugh.

[MyVesta]

Yes, it would be the most watched PPV ever, I'm sure. And you can bet that Vick's pals wouldn't be betting on him to win!

Vick is a loser through and through.

[Shannon2008]

So what you're saying is that this is all about entertainment for you, right?

That's sad.

Now we know who voted for Sanjaya on American Idol.

[mamala4]

Put him to better use than letting him sit in prison...make him run a shelter, make him clean dog poop, do something productive, instead of sitting in a prison, costing the tax payers money.

[MyVesta]

Yeah, just what every pitbull wants to see: Michael Vick!

He is exactly where he needs to be -- too bad he can't be away for longer. Though, I'm sure he'll be back in prison soon enough following this stint. He's nothing more than a dangerous thug and does not deserve special treatment.

[mstewart35]

Now here is where we part, MyVesta. Vick is not "exactly where he needs to be". Think about it. He is insane and has needed intense mental therapy for a long, long time. Incarceration has never provided that.

Serial and interminable jail time has been our solution to psychosis for too long. The prison industry has always lobbied for its own interest and always won. We have locked up and executed many people who could possibly have been really rehabilitated. Keep him away from society, but don't think taking his freedom is the real answer to the problem. We have elected a President who calls for "change". Let's all realize the message in that.

[MyVesta]

He is a convicted felon. A violent thug. He needs to stay in prison for as long as possible. Don't worry, though, he'll be back behind bars quick enough -- he just can't help himself, you know, because of his "neighborhood" and all. It's not his fault!

[KDay]

Some of you same people talking about abusing animals and how cruel it is, would do nothing to stop a child from being abused or walk past a person needing help and not look back.

doglovers in so many ways......­.....illeg­al ways I am sure.

[BlueProteus]

Wow, what a pathetic post that was, on so many levels...

So because someone thinks that the cruelty to these dogs is wrong, that automatically means they wouldn't do anything to help a human that was being abused?

Are you really that stupid?

[MyVesta]

Why do you believe that human welfare and animal welfare are mutually exclusive? Are your heart and mind really that limited?

You sound extremely angry and ignorant. Attend a dogfight last night and lost?

[neurologymatters]

Some people do nothing about abuse of any forms. People who love dogs do not put blinders on and ignore other humans. State your illegal ways please.

[RODERICK098]

So if you are against crueltY for one group you cannot be against cruelty for another. WE ALL SHOULD BE AGAINST CRUELTTY PERIOD WHEREVER IT OCCURS.

[mlr710]

Sadly, you're probably right.

[ChangeIsUponUs]

I'm sick of this crap about Michael Vick and dogs! Haven't the media did enough to this man? I support Michael Vick!

Enough is enough!

Leave this man alone and let him get his life back together! There are other things that needs focus than treating dogs better than humans and I am fed up with this crap!

[DeadHorse]

Dude. The media did NOTHING to this man. He did it to himself. And he not only didn't treat his dogs better than humans he didn't even treat them as good as a dog.

[AmazingChicken]

Leave this man alone? Sorry. That would just be saying that what he did was OK to other like-minded ignorant over-privileged arrogant humans. And what he did was NOT OK.

No remorse, attempted to conceal his actions. Do your children to think his actions were OK? Do YOU think his actions were OK?

I support Michael Vick too, not that my feelings have anything to do with it. I support everyone, those who are celebrated and those who are not. I pray that he turns his heart and openly repents not just these actions but the lifestyle he paraded before the cameras and public.

I don't think there's any other coming back for him.

[jamie461]

Vick is indicative of a problem that exists all over the South. There is a culture of dogfighting and millions of dollars involved. Vick is just the tip of the iceberg here. This violent subculture is essentially ignored by law enforcement, which makes me angry.

As for Vick personally, I will vigorously protest any attempt to reinstate him in the NFL.

[Shannon2008]

You probably don't watch football.

You anger at the "South" is sad. You've demonized a whole group of people because they don't agree with you.

Do you feel the same way about Spaniards? How about Thai or Filipinos?

All I can say is, get a grip. Your irrational thinking isn't going to help to fix the problem pragmatically. It's just a plea based on emotion.

Law enforcement is not ignoring the problem. A huge dog fighting ring was just busted a few weeks ago in Houston.

We all need to have priorities. When violent crime is surging in cities like Philadelphia and Houston, it's disheartening to hear someone say that law enforcement isn't doing it's job. There are not enough police.

I would rather have seen Michael Vicks money go to putting officers on the streets.

[jamie461]

I happen to live in Alabama. And yes, I do watch football. And I also think the Spanish are barbaric for continuing to practice bullfighting, too. Torturing animals for sport is unacceptable in the 21st century, no matter how long it has gone on.

Dogfighting is a huge industry all over the rural south. Stop being so defensive just because I stated a fact. People have looked the other way for generations, and that includes law enforcement. This violent subculture needs to be put to an end, for the good of humans as well as the animals.

[MyVesta]

What money? He's bankrupt, in every sense of the word.

[Topfeeder]

Not ALL over the South. I am a lifetime Southerner and I have never heard of or been involved with anyone that did this. I agree with everything else you say.

[jamie461]

I live in Alabama and I'm well aware of the fact that animal fighting -- and the gambling that comes with it -- is part of southern culture. Dogfighting and cockfighting are huge criminal operations all over the south. It's a filthy, lucrative business in the rural areas.

[mlr710]

OK, then I will vigorously support his reinstatment to the NFL - which is gonna happen anyway....but its so sad to see people up in arms about Vick's reinstatement while there are over 20 guys on active rosters right now that have been arrested on domestic abuse charges for everything from slaps to punches of wives and girlfriends and its all good.

[JTaverner]

. . . and he plans on returning to the NFL and is convinced he can get a spot on a team. Who will take him?

Announcer: Ladies and Gentleman, your Oakland Raiders starting quarterback, Michael Vick

*You can substitute Dallas for Oakland

[mlr710]

Or Detroit or Tampa Bay or St Louis

[sylar]

Vic is one sick puppy.