Marcus Vick appeals, receives stiffer sentence

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By Matthew Bowers
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 20, 2009

NORFOLK

Marcus Vick, younger brother of NFL player Michael Vick, on Monday appealed a probation-violation conviction and a sentence of 20 days in jail. He received 30 days instead.

However, he can serve the time on weekends, Circuit Judge Jerrauld Jones said.

Vick, 25, pleaded no contest on his appeal, stipulating through his lawyer that he missed multiple appointments and counseling sessions and that he tested positive for marijuana in violation of conditions of his probation before his last hearing.

The probation stemmed from a conviction in October 2008 of drunken driving, eluding a bicycle patrol officer and a traffic infraction the previous June. He received a suspended one-year sentence with conditions, including substance-abuse counseling. A General District judge in August had sentenced him to 20 days for violating those conditions.

Vick's attorney, Charles Lustig, said that since then, his client had made more of an effort to tackle his substance-abuse problem, including attending classes and receiving clean drug screenings.

"I'm going to take steps... to get my life on track," Vick told the judge.

Jones said Vick was making a "noble try" recently but that he had to look at the total picture.

He sentenced Vick to a year in jail with all but 30 days suspended. Vick also must abstain from drinking or taking illegal drugs.

Marcus Vick also played football for Virginia Tech, like his brother Michael, until he was dropped from the team for on- and off-field problems.

He later was released by the professional Miami Dolphins.

He works in a shipyard, his lawyer said in court Monday.

Matthew Bowers, (757) 222-3893, matthew.bowers@pilotonline.com

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Marcus Vick

Submitted by repubgal on Wed, 10/21/2009 at 6:10 pm.

Something puzzles me....the schools have a -0- tolerance policy, but, true, hardened (or hardening) criminals get chance after chance, after chance.....you get the picture. I truly pray that Michael WILL turn his life around. If he is being truthful about his "experience" with God, then, he definitely can do so because God will certainly help him. Marcus, who is following in his brother's footsteps hasn't paid his "dues" with jail time like Michael. To me this means that he still thinks he can take chances and hopes against hope that he won't get "caught" this time. My prayer is that Marcus, also, will "see the light" before it is too late for him.
If he does, then, he will probably be given another chance at the NFL just as Michael has been given. God bless both of you. Look up and look within and you will find the answer to what you are so diligently seeking.

Just another Thug

Submitted by kimb3131 on Wed, 10/21/2009 at 9:20 am.

First off, I want to say AHHHHHHHHH HAAAAAAAA longer sentence.......I love it
but I think he should serve his full year.
These Vicks have not "turned their lives around"
Marcus isn`t sorry.....He would do it again....
Vick= Thugs.......
all of them
if is was someone other then a Vick, they would have gotten a harsher sentence, give it to them
quit slapping their wrist, someone has to teach them, because they certainly have have been taught right from wrong.....

why not full term?

Submitted by Sir Jiggah da B... on Tue, 10/20/2009 at 9:42 am.

if he violated the conditions of his reduced sentance then why was he not given the full year to serve?

A bicycle officer really?

Submitted by jason0315 on Tue, 10/20/2009 at 9:09 am.

Eluding a bicycle officer, and got caught? OMG, that's hilarious to mentally picture LOL! Did he stop at a redlight, or was it traffic on the strip? Only a mall cop on a Segway could be funnier!!! Reality show please!!

Yeah, right

Submitted by mm12175 on Tue, 10/20/2009 at 9:01 am.

Let's see...he gets fired from the Va Tech team. He gets fired from an NFL team...NOW 30 days in jail is gonna make him "turn his life around"??? Sorry, I'm not buying it. Show me results, not more BS talk. He should get fired from his shipyard job, too, now that everyone knows he's a druggie. How many chances does one criminal get?

The Projects

Submitted by bobertbobert on Tue, 10/20/2009 at 8:55 am.

Tough living either produces wimps or tough guys and only a few are guided to leave the Projects' lifestyles behind, in the dumpster where they belong. The 1950s community improvement idealists steamrolled community destruction and then built in their place, their Utopian solution which concentrated tyranny. The survivors evolved into gangs of toughs and their notions of fear and safety, vulnerable and non-vulnerable produced achievers of all kinds.

Crap Shoot

Submitted by factfinder on Tue, 10/20/2009 at 8:48 am.

No sympathy here. This was an exceptional athlete who lived like a thug. Then when he got in trouble, he appealed his verdict and got a stiffer sentence. He threw away a possible lucrative football career to be a street thug. His brother, Michael, is cut from the same cloth, he just has better handlers.

They do call it a jail

Submitted by thebigd on Tue, 10/20/2009 at 7:39 am.

At least they have a jail, In Virginia Beach they have a Correction Center. They changed the name in 1974 when then Sheriff Joe Smith did not like the word JAIL. The name was too harsh. Correction Center sounded so much better. He was a great guy but he did not know the definition of Correction Center. Thirty five years and many Sheriffs later, no one has had the guts to change the name back to City Jail.