The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
When Michael Vick gets out of prison later this week, he'll join about 120,000 other federal ex-cons under court-ordered supervision.
Statistics show that about a third will end up back in prison.
Vick is scheduled to leave the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., either Wednesday or Thursday. He'll arrive in Hampton and be immediately placed in home confinement. A federal community corrections officer will be able to monitor his every move, with the help of an electronic tracking device.
Felicia Ponce, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, said Vick will have to follow a strict set of rules. Some of the rules will be standard, such as a curfew, and some tailored for him.
"They look at the individual's security needs, and they develop a plan to help them integrate back into the community," she said.
Being on home confinement isn't the "peaches and cream that people think it is," said local defense attorney Andrew Protogyrou. "You're not allowed to go out to dinner. You're not allowed to go to a friend's house. The probation officer drops by unexpectedly. There is no freedom other than what the probation officer says you can do."
Vick, 28, has served 23 months in federal prison for bankrolling a dogfighting operation. He vowed at a recent bankruptcy court appearance to behave the complete opposite of how he lived before prison.
He'll have many eyes upon him, including Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner who holds the key to Vick's return to professional football. The superstar former Atlanta Falcons quarterback and Newport News native will ask Goodell to lift his suspension.
He must complete two months of home confinement before he can consider attending an NFL training camp. If he's reinstated, he'll also have to get out of his contract with the Falcons, which his advisers say shouldn't be difficult since the team made it clear it wants no part of the team's one-time personal highlight reel.
Vick will live, at least initially, at 21 Haywagon Trail, Hampton, with his fiancee, Kijafa Frink, and their children. He'll be allowed to travel to his job with the construction firm W.M. Jordan Co. and to his probation appointments and court appearances.
His attorneys say he plans to perform volunteer community service, even though the court has not obligated that. He wanted to work for Habitat for Humanity, but the nonprofit denied his request.
"We evaluated the request but have determined that we will not have a suitable work site available at the time of his release from prison," said Janet V. Green, executive director of Habitat's Peninsula office.
In addition, Vick still has bankruptcy and civil cases to resolve, as well as another legal issue over his dogs.
A South Carolina man has a federal lawsuit pending claiming that he loaned Vick his pit bull, Clubber, for breeding and never got it back. Matthew S. McCormack, currently an inmate in a New Jersey penitentiary, says he met Vick at a bar in Columbia, S.C., and got to talking about dogs and dogfighting.
He loaned Vick the dog and Vick promised to pay him a sum based on the number of puppies bred, according to the lawsuit. McCormack says he never heard from Vick again.
Vick has not responded to the lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Columbia. A judge there last week found Vick in default, clearing the way for McCormack to receive an award. He's seeking $1 million.
The Virginian-Pilot could not locate Clubber among the many agencies that took in dozens of Vick's former fighting dogs. A number of dogs were killed in the ring, killed by Vick or his associates or died or were euthanized after they were seized by federal authorities.
While he is free, Vick must remain on his best behavior.
When his two months of confinement are up, he'll be free, but on three years of supervised release, or probation, which comes with new rules and restrictions.
Standard conditions include not being able to travel outside of eastern Virginia without approval, maintaining employment, staying away from known criminals, and meeting with his probation officer regularly.
The judge who sentenced Vick also ordered additional conditions prohibiting him from incurring debt and mandating participation in a substance abuse treatment program. In addition, the judge ordered Vick not to "engage in the purchase, possession or sale of any canine."
If Vick violates the terms of his supervision, he could be sent back to prison for the remainder of the three years he's on probation.
His first scheduled meeting with his probation officer is set for Friday at 2 p.m., according to his lawyer, Lawrence H. Woodward Jr.
Vick's family members declined to comment.
Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, tim.mcglone@pilotonline.com
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Does Michael Vick Deserve a
Does Michael Vick Deserve a second chance?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjostWvg9tU
Vicktory to the Underdog
http://strangleholdmerch.com/vicktory-to-the-underdog-p-191.html
"Vicktory To The Underdog" takes an in depth look at world renowned tattoo artist "Brandon Bond" and his dog rescue efforts - particularly rescuing the infamous Michael Vick fighting dogs.
Rather than focusing on the dog fighting problem, the movie sheds light on solutions leading to "Vicktory" for all the underdogs in the movie - tattoo people, pitbulls, parolees and all the other people in this world that society has turned their back on through ignorance and racism.
Featuring celebrities like Debbie and Danny Trejo, Michael Berryman, Pixie Acia and Donal Logue.
Second Chances part II
To complete my earlier post............I watch less and less professional sports each year because the college game is much more interesting without the drama and showboating and over inflated paychecks. We set people up for failure when we make deities out of them as celebrities whether it be as an athlete, movie star, or any type of entertainer then we expect them to live within the same boundaries as the rest of us. I do not excuse unlawful acts on the basis of celebrity but put things into perspective. We, the fans, made them who they are so we are also to blame. It’s easy to kick him when he is down. If you expect failure and you project that failure on him you may get what you want. We should be encouraging him to succeed whether it be on the field or in some other venture. He can be a washed up ex-athlete or one of the biggest redemption stories of all time. I pray for the latter. Good luck Mike. I hope you prove the naysayers wrong.
NFL
With all of the wife beaters, gun carriers, drug uses and dealers and other parolees in the NFL nowdays, It appears Vick will not be returning to the NFL, since one of the conditions of his parole is not to associate with known criminals or parolees. You can always pick them out during the game.....They are the ones with the bulge in their sock around one of their ankles.
Second Chances
I'm glad to see that some are avoiding the usual negativity associated with this case. Dog fighting is a horrible offense. Some do not see it this way because it is a normal activity. We need to understand that we did not all grow up in the same neighborhood with the same activities and experiences. I am not happy with what he has done nor am I happy with the way he has been treated since this story broke. How many of you out there are the perpetrators of or are related to or close to someone who has committed spousal abuse, substance abuse, _______ abuse? Take your pick. The courts set the punishments and people serve them. We then all have to move on both perpetrator and "victim". Whether he plays ball again is irrelevant and out of our control. His conviction and publicity will go further to bring to light the atrocities and realities of dog fighting than anything I can recall. There are people all over the world that make mistakes/err in judgment and they serve their time and go back to work. Why should he be any different? If you don't like him then don't watch him when he plays again. If you don't like football then why do you care. I watch less and less professional sports e
RCAMP exactly!
Why is this a headliner????????
Tired of the thugs getting precious coverage on the 1st and 2nd pages! Criminals deserve the BACK PAGE to prove that they are at the bottom of the barrel, not celebrities!
Hate seeing them in a who's who of thugs! Obituaries should get more respect that the 2nd page for criminal info. They more than likely were productive citizens.
Whats a role model?
role model
noun (plural: role models)
A person who serves as an example of a positive behavior, especially in some specific field.
Mr. Vick is NOT a role model, and NEVER will be....
Let Vick do Vick.....
You Know it's funny,so many people got stuff to say about Mike Vick,Well for starters,I'm glad he's coming home to be with his family,get his self back on track,and for the so called VICK HATERS ,do you remember when the Peta workers dump some dogs in a dumpster in NC and got a slap on the hand,they still working why you guys are crying,Mike Vick brough money to the table for the NFL,trust me,he will return and shut the media out of his box
About Redemption
For those who say people should be allowed to redeem themselves after federal prison. That's the old adage however it doesn't reflect reality. He will recover however because he's a celebrity athlete. Others won't be so fortunate. The system likes to keep them locked up because its cheap slave labor for the corporations who have them assemble things in prison.
Community Service
Mr. Vick should be required to pull 1000 hours in SPCA, Animal Control shelters to correct his disregard for the lives of his victims, animals.
Let it Go!
I must admit that anyone involved in animal cruelty is wrong for doing it, but some of you are taking this over the top. If it wasn't for the fact that Vick was a NFL superstar, this story would have never made it to Peta's front door and most of you would not be still commenting on it. Virginia Beach has approx. 100 bicycle accidents each year and the drivers of the vehicles are not brought up on charges unless they have been drinking or such. Where is the outcry for this senseless taking of life? Are we to say that a dog's life is more precious than that of a biker? Let's put all of this in prespectivce shall we. Vick has done his time and paid his debt and in the words of another victim, "Can we all just get along?" Let Vick live in peace as you'd want to live.