Writing from behind bars that jail is “no place” for him, Michael Vick pleaded “for a second chance to be back with my family. ”
“I am forever a changed man,” he wrote in the letter, one of several unsealed Thursday by the federal court in Richmond . “I’ve lost everything – my good name, job, endorsements, and now my freedom.”
Despite that plea and numerous letters of support, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson sentenced the Newport News native to 23 months in prison on Monday for his conviction on federal dogfighting charges.
Vick’s letter was one of about 20 made public Thursday – including testimonials from fellow celebrities , fans and his 7th-grade teacher .
“It’s not too late for Michael,” wrote two-time world boxing champion George Foreman. Vick “can serve as an example to all American youth on how abhorred behavior can ruin your life and the lives of people around you.”
Other pleas came from former baseball star Hank Aaron, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Vick’s mother, Brenda Vick Boddie.
“Michael is not a M-O-N-S-T-E-R nor a criminal, he just made a wrong choice with what he thought were friends,” she wrote. “Give my baby Michael another chance. … PLEASE!”
The former Atlanta Falcons star noted that he had never been convicted of any offense “other than a traffic violation.”
Vick said that growing up in Newport News, “I was exposed to numerous illegal activities and dogfighting was one of them.” Even so, “I grew up loving animals and still do to this day.”
He repeated what he has said publicly several times: “I take full responsibility for my actions and am ashamed .”
“I am not the bad person or the beast I’ve been made out to be,” he wrote.
Numerous times in the hand-printed, five-page letter, Vick referred to his family .
“This has been painful because my son watches the news” and has understood what is happening with his father. “He says his friends in school make fun of the situation. ”
And his daughter wonders where he is and when he will be home to play games, “but I have no answer.”
In asking for leniency, he said, “This is my first conviction of a crime and I know deep down in my heart it is my last.”
He pledged to continue to do charitable work. “There’s someone out there who needs me and I only hope I can be there for them in the future. … my family needs me and I need them.”
With good behavior, Vick could walk out of federal prison in about 18 months. But he still faces state dogfighting charges .
Shortly after the release of Vick’s letter, his lead attorney, Billy Martin, issued a statement in Washington.
“It is important for everyone to remember that no individual’s life should be judged or defined by one mistake or incident,” Martin said.
Steve Stone, (757) 446-2309, steve.stone@pilotonline.com
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George Bush's Fault
3 things...
That's right, this is all George Bush's fault.
Did you know that dogfighting helps combat global warming? Dog's emit methane gas so I am sure Vick was just doing his thing to help the planet.
I guess spelling and grammar is taught during the senior year at Tech. His farther must be proud. Again though this is the deep south where dogs are fought and books are not read.
Accountability
... changing the subject but in reality the same ... how dare there be any talk of just "letting it go" in regards to the baseball steroid saga! If Vick can be made a "poster child" for crime than they had better hold these guys up to the same poster!
More of the same
Don't take responsibility. It's not my fault. Attorneys advising their clients to keep their mouths shut. Attorneys looking for their 15 minutes of fame opening their mouths and sounding just as stupid. He's just sorry he got caught. Don't worry, in 18 months when he gets out, he'll still have more money than most make in a lifetime, so quit crying. Here's to those who spend 6 months, 1 year, or more away from their families defending our freedom, or supporting their families in other ways, home or abroad. Here's to the majority of people that go through life doing right, committing no felonies, raising average kids, never becoming famous or getting their celebrity names in the paper. You are the true heroes.
You'll root for him again...trust me.
Mr. Vick will play NFL Football again if he stays in shape, and the fans will pay even more money to see him. He will be laughing all the way to the bank. Why? I don't know, but you all did the same for Mr. Mike Tyson remember?
Michael Vick's change of life letter
The only reason that Michael Vick states he is a changed man is the fact that he got caught and is now serving time. How can the people that wrote letters on his behalf say he is not a monster and he just made the wrong choice? Hello? He tortured, beat, drowned, and electrocuted poor defenseless animals. How can he say in one breath that he grew up loving animals and still does to this day and he was exposed to numerous illegal activities and dogfighting was one of them. Don't you think that if he really loved animals that he would not have been a part of dogfighting when he was growing up. This is a choice!! Vick mentions that he lost everything - job, good name, endorsements, and now his freedom - so be it!!! He should have thought about that before he lied in court, smoked marijuana and above all, tortured those animals.
UH Huh
So why lie from the beginning? Why state that you had nothing to do with it, and you would clear your good name. OOPS! The other guys dimed you out, so now your story changes, and it was all a product of your upbringing. Why didn't you state all that from the beginning?
Michael Vick
I read Michael Vick's letter to the Judge .. because curiosity got the best of me after swearing I wouldn't buy into it. I believe that he is probably deeply sorry for what he did. Sorry because he has remorse or sorry because he got caught only he and God know the answer to that.
I would think the shame of having his children know what he did would be a hell unmatched by even prison.Only time and truth will tell if this has changed him and he is going to be the better person he said he has become. While he is famous and I do not believe he should be judged more harshly because of that, I also feel strongly that he should not be judged less for the same reason. I was glad to see that the judge seemed to overlook Michael Vick .. and saw him only as a man who did some horrible things to animals and punished him accordingly. I do find his self-proclaimed love of animals he wrote of in his letter a total contradiction of the heinous crime he is convicted of. Anyone who could drown, torture, electrocute, and shoot an innocent animal because his performance was not up to standard in the dog fight you hosted is a lot
of things, an animal lover is not what comes to mind. I am sorry f
He should be punished,
But not used to make an example. I just isn't fair. The man did wrong, and he is going to jail for it. That is how the system works. You do wrong, you get punished and that is that...but for some reason, in his case, he is getting put through the wringer. The other 3 involved are just as much at fault, but they didn't have to pony up a million dollars to take care of the dogs. I have never heard of such harsh punishment for dogfighting.
I really hope Mr. Vick has learned an important lesson from all this and that when he gets out, he is a changed man and not just putting out lip-service right now. And once he serves his time I'd love to see him play in the NFL again.
Cue Violins
Have fun in prison. Merry Christmas - although I suspect Big Bubba will come looking for his gift early. Karma, baby.
Yes, I read all this...
I read this story about Mr. Vick. Here is a synopsis of it:
"I am not the bad person or beast I've been made out to be" and it's not my fault.
"I take full responsibility for my actions" and it's not my fault.
Vick said he's an animal lover but that he grew up in a culture where dogfighting went unpunished so it's not his fault.
Vick blamed his marijuana use on his father, Michael Boddie so it's not his fault.
“I was exposed to numerous illegal activities and dogfighting was one of them.” so it's not my fault.
“Give my baby Michael another chance. … Please!” wrote Brenda Vick Boddie. I'm sure she would also say, it's not his fault.
Well, sorry, Mr. Vick. This IS your fault. It's your fault that you thought raising and fighting dogs was cool, and that it made you a big man with your homies. I will bet that you enjoyed this sport immensely. And I also would bet that you are very, very truly sorry.
Sorry that you got caught.
Billy Martin said what about Vick????
As far as Mr. Martin's comment that no individual should be judged or defined based on one mistake or incident: I beg your pardon, but Vick made several mistakes, not just one! And furthermore, how about murderers; should they not be judged? or drug pushers, or bank robbers? Where do you draw the line, Mr. Martin? The Fact is that Vick broke several laws and was found guilty and should be judged and punished for his actions. Why should he not be judged? Oh, that's right. He's a superstar, has lots of money, etc.
What a waste.
It sounds like many people either thought they new Mr. Vick or know someone that The viewing public doesn't see. If all of these letters are true to their word, He is either a FOOL at heart or covering for his worthless brother whom always has trouble around. If that's the case He trully needs to shake off the Tick's he carries around. He has obviously tried to be a great human, but is that real or is HE real? What is the true Mike Vick? You can only be one person, which is HE?