SUFFOLK
The state trial for former NFL star Michael Vick will be continued, with a new date possibly to be set later this month, the Surry County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office said today.
Vick was set to stand trial April 2 on felony counts of animal cruelty and dogfighting, but prosecutor Gerald Poindexter said last month the case could be pushed back. An assistant in his office confirmed today that it would be continued.
Poindexter reached similar agreements with defense attorneys last month to continue the trials for two of Vick’s codefendants, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips.
Vick, Peace and Phillips are serving prison sentences for their federal case. They pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to run an interstate dogfighting operation from 2001 to 2007 on land that Vick, a Newport News native, owned in Surry County.
Poindexter cited logistical problems in transporting the men to face their state trials as the need for the delays. Vick is in Kansas, Peace is in New Jersey and Phillips is in Florida, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Web site.
It is the commonwealth’s attorney’s responsibility to transport the defendants.
In joint motions to continue the March 5 trials for Peace and Phillips, Poindexter and the defense attorneys agreed “that both the Commonwealth and Defense Counsel desire additional time and opportunity to resolve this matter through trial or through a Plea Agreement.” The motion also said that “both are somewhat hampered” because the defendants are not easily accessible.
The trials are to be rescheduled on March 25, at which time Vick’s case could also be reset.
In the federal case, Vick was sentenced in December to 23 months in prison. Phillips is serving a 21-month sentence, and Peace has 18 months to serve.
A fourth man, Tony Taylor, was sentenced to two months in custody for his role. His state trial is set for May 7.
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Vick's continuance
Every informed citizen of Virginia knows that Gerald G. Poindexter is corrupt, and this delay is one more instance of that. He's had months to coordinate Vick's transfer to Surry County, and now claims he needs more time. PLEASE write ASAP to Commonwealth Attorney General Bob McDonnell to voice your concern and protest. Mr. MCDonnell is running for Governor next year and I am sure he will be receptive to the recusal of Mr. Poindexter from the case as well as advocating the harshest sentence for the obscenely cruel Vick and his gangster cohorts. Mr. McDonnell's address is:
Attorney General Bob McDonnell
Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia
900 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Virginia is soon to be the buffoon of the nation if not a strong, and swift punishment is meted out. Thanks!
It has seemed like small
It has seemed like small town politics in regard to original charges ,delay, etc.
Another delay
Just another lame excuse on the part of Pointdexter...why can't the folks in that area just vote him out? Are they blind or just complete idiots up there?
Another excuse to disregard the enforcement of the law
The County Prosecutor is finding another excuse and method to delay prosecution of these charges. As a reminder, Poindexter delayed submitting charges for so long that the federal government had to step in to prosecute Vick. Now he’s using another excuse to continue his disregard of the law.