SURRY COUNTY
A year after he first stepped into Michael Vick’s dogfighting compound, the local investigator who helped convict the NFL star spoke Monday about the friction he said he felt with the local prosecutor during the case .
Bill Brinkman, a nine-year veteran of the Surry County Sheriff’s Department , helped federal prosecutors convict the former Virginia Tech star and Atlanta Falcons quarterback along with three others in the dogfighting ring.
Brinkman said that his boss in the Western Tidewater community, Sheriff Harold Brown, told him a week into the investigation last spring that Surry Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerald Poindexter wanted him fired. Brinkman said he was released from his position in December, with no explanation from Brown other than that he was going to make some changes and “go in a different direction.”
Both Poindexter and Brown were re-elected in November.
The Vick case was an issue in the commonwealth’s attorney campaign . A federal grand jury indicted Vick two months before Poindexter brought state charges.
Vick pleaded guilty in August to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge and is serving a 23-month prison sentence. Three others were convicted as well.
The state case against Vick is scheduled to go to trial June 27.
Vick was raised in Newport News and purchased the Surry property in 2001. He admitted to financing a dogfighting ring that spanned six years at the Surry property and elsewhere. Vick sold the property last fall.
Speaking at his home in Surry County, Brinkman, 49, said that he worked with federal agents in the case largely because he was uncomfortable dealing with Poindexter.
He said that Poindexter often brought up a racial angle during discussions about the case and made accusations that the investigation was driven in part by race.
“Every time you met with him, it was a very unsettling, uncomfortable, degrading conversation,” Brinkman said. “Everything’s wrapped around race.”
Brinkman is white. Poindexter is black.
Brown on Monday denied Brinkman’s allegations. He shook his head no when asked about being pressured by Poindexter to fire the deputy.
Poindexter denied saying that he wanted the deputy gone.
“That is not true,” he said. “Does that even begin to sound plausible?”
Poindexter also denied making race an issue in the case, but he said critics of his handling of the case did.
Brown said he told Brinkman in December that he had decided not to keep him on the force, but he said it wasn’t a firing. He said the Vick case had something to do with his decision, as well as some other matters, but he would not elaborate.
Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Yea Right!
No need to I am a wolf in this life!
From here on out,
I think it's clear that Gunny's opinions are worthless. The problem with what Gunny believes is simple. Animals are not objects; they are living, breathing, trusting, FEELING creatures. If you were given the free choice to do WHATEVER you want with them, I would hope that I would be given the right to do whatever I please with you. It wouldn't be pretty. As far as this man's job is concerned, it could be many things. I wouldn't be surprised if there is racism involved. I would be even less surprised though if Poindexter was being paid not to do his job and got rid of this man to avoid losing his payout. Of course, it could have been an ongoing thing where Poindexter was choosing to ignore this property for some time because Vick's pals were giving him a cut of their earnings. We'll never really know the truth.
Gunny Go
I hope in your next life you come back as MY dog.
Peta
PETA might need to help with all the issue of child abuse that goes on daily. They seem to get more of a reaction than the people who are working for abused kids now. Who cares! Like I said, if you dig up Surry County you just might find more than dogs!!
Blind Eye
I think you miss the point…we live in a police state and no one seems to mind it. How I treat my animals (to include my gold fish) is my business…How I run my business is my business. I don’t need the government or a nosy neighbor budding in my business (so long as I don’t violate anyone’s rights). Besides, laws aren’t doled out fairly. Justice is blind IF you have the right amount of money. I believe that’s part of the reason why the deputy was released. Vick has (had) money and the local politicians were reaping from the benefits. The cop wasn’t doing his job. He didn’t turn his head.
A racist assumption
I know that racism can be blinding and debilitating, but isn't it possible that this guy is a mediocre employee who wants to blame his failure on someone or something else?
Why are many posters here ready to lynch another black man on a white man's word?
Hasn't that gotten southerners into trouble in the past?
gunny go Oh no
Your comments missed the point or did not even make the right one. I agree, dog(s) are your property, but when you enter into a business "Bad Newz Kennels" then there are regulations. When you set up a multi-state illegal dog fighting operation for business then the people/person involved should not be surprised when they are arrested.
I know your saying it is my dog and I can do what I want with it. The go fight with your own dog in your backyard. Just you and your dog fighting each other no one else.
Vicks dogs were bred and trained for one thing only to fight to the death. If they did not perfrom then they were killed. Gunny maybe you should just get a pet gold fish.
Brinkman
Good going Mr. Brinkman! Poindexter was dragging his feet from the very beginning and it was evident from the first day it hit the news. A person would have to be blind to not see it.
Maybe PETA needs to check up on 'GunnyGo' and his treatment of animals after that comment.
Apply in VB and get out of Smallville
I'd say he got the shaft. Put in an application in Virginia Beach as I hear the VB Sheriff is looking for honest workers.
Brown would not elaborate
Well, he should.
gunny go said Vick was
gunny go said Vick was doomed because of PETA? How bout Vick was doomed because Brinkman found out he was breaking the law? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? RIGHT IS RIGHT AND WRONG IS WRONG! if you break the law & Brinkman is working your turf YOU GO DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds VERY PLAUSIBLE!!!
We hear something like this all to frequently these days! Our government at work! When in doubt,, follow the money out! Poindexter and Brown have to go! Thank God i dont live in there jurisdiction or i would move too! CHUUUCH!
SOUNDS SHADY TO ME
So let me get this right,,, You do what you are paid to do. Do a great job, not only on this case but others as well, and that gets you fired! WOW! So, sounds like to me kids if you want to become a police officer when you get older, just dont be good at it and you will climb up the "shady" promotional ladder! POINDEXTER and BROWN need to be investigated.... Isnt there a nuclear power plant in Surry??? Thats what we need this day and age, Corrupt people in office, that cover up crimes and take bribes! People,, think about that for a second!!!!!!!!
I sincerely hope Mr. Brinkman gets compensated for his good and honest hard work! we need more officers that do the right thing! BLACK OR WHITE!!!!!!!
Somebody's Fibbing
I'm amazed at how this article generated the comments posted...bottom line is "somebody's lying through their teeth"! It's a real shame; but, Poindexter's constituents should insist on all of these guys to take a lie-detector test...then, maybe the real truth will come out.
Stats
Daniel62, I contend that racism exists in all cultures. I believe institutional racism came into existence that same time man formed the first community. What can we do about it? In essences it is a survival technique from the caveman days of promoting one’s own tribe. Unfortunately, modern man hasn’t been able to shake it. It is an evil that will exist as long as there are differences between communities.
The statistics you present only prove it. As well, it also proves the point that you get what you pay for. Public defenders are normally used by the poor people, as well as, most people who are defended by public defenders end of with harsher sentences. The moral of the story is if you are poor don’t do the crime unless you are willing to do the time. Your stats didn't consider O.J. and his aquittal. In Vick’s case he was doomed because PETA bit on him (fighting and killing man’s best friend). However, I believe that dogs are still property, used to that we could do whatever we wanted with our own property. That’s what happens when you live in a Police State.
Get real
From the start of the Vick investigation this prosecutor dropped the ball. He tried to wait out the media in my opinion. Vick and his helpers had plenty of time to remove some of the evidence. Remind us Mr. Poindexter, how many weeks did the property sit unguarded while you sat on your hands? Your comments sound like the standard political answer. Frankly, to me the mans accusations are plausible. The real damage here has not been discussed. if I were a sheriff, black or white, I would do all I could not to find a crime in a celebrities investigation. If it comes between feeding my kids and pension, Vick walks.
Only if Donald Trump was here
He would tell both Brown and Poindexter "You're both are fired" Here we have two men who are so lucky to have their job back.
Brown was worried that he wouldn't get black votes, Poindexter was worried he wouldn't continue getting his season tickets to the falcon games. See Mr. Poindexter your big ole race card you carry in your back pocket fooled your voters but it didn't work on a very good investigator and the Feds. Not all white folks jump and hide when you pull the card out, we know that since you're not a very good attorney the card was your only tool, so sad.
Ex-Deputy - Scapegoat
With the elections coming - not only in Portsmouth but other surrounding cities -it is time our voices were heard by our actions at the polls - if you have officials such as Poindexter not doing his job, and dragging their feet in order to protect a certain interest only to come off looking very unprofessional (no matter red, yellow, black or white) they need to be voted out of office - and we need to stop complaining and put our words into action - we have all set back and just accepted the half-ass job that many of our local officials hand out because we do not want to get involved- well stop complaining if you don't want to react when something as embarrassing as the Vick situation happens - then accept whatever comes our way - To me the deputy should be commended for trying to do his job and the sheriff - with no backbone needs to be the one along with Poindexter that needs to feel the door hitting him in the butt.
Wider Authority for Commonwealth Attorney General
This is why I have been working with State Senator Blevins on a bill to give the CommonWeatlh Attorney General more power to take over these kinds of cases where the local prosecutors either don't have the resources for handling the case or are reluctant in exercising the proper diligence in bringing cases to trial. It makes state enforcement look weak and invites oversight by federal authorities. Governor Kaine agreed, but we were not able to construct the bill in time for consideration before this year's legislature. I don't know if Poindexter got a case of "Nifongitis" or not, but it was embarrassing to what him work under the the media lights. He looked incompetent and ill prepared.
Williams, Riddick, and Poindexter must go
It is amazing the lengths that black officials will go to keep black icons such as Vick from destroying their own lives and to keep white people such as officer Barry from rebuilding theirs.