Michael Vick arrives at his new home -- prison
Suspended by the NFL and shamed in the national spotlight, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is now a member of the Leavenworth, Kan., community.
If a federal prisoner can be considered a member of the community.
Vick arrived at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons minimum security facility on Monday afternoon to serve the remainder of his 23-month sentence on federal dogfighting charges.
Vick was accompanied by U.S. marshals when he left the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Va., on Monday morning.
Vick and three co-defendants raised pit bulls and trained them for fighting behind the property he owned in rural Surry County, Va. Several dogs that did not perform well in test fights were executed - mostly in gruesome fashion.
The 27-year-old Vick pleaded guilty in August, admitting he bankrolled the dogfighting operation and helped kill as many as eight dogs. He had been held at Northern Neck Regional Jail since he surrendered Nov. 19 in anticipation of his sentence.
Vick plans to enter a drug treatment program during his time in Leavenworth, according to his attorney Billy Martin, a move that could reduce the NFL star's sentence.
Vick tested positive for marijuana in September while he was on supervised release after his guilty plea. The residential drug treatment programs at Bureau of Prisons institutions take place in units set apart from the general prison population, lasting at least 500 hours over six to 12 months, according to Bureau of Prisons policy.
Upon successful completion of the program, nonviolent offenders may be granted up to one year of early release. Staff members review the inmates' records and behavior to determine if they are eligible for early release.
If Vick is granted an early release, he could be ready to play in the 2009 season, though he is currently suspended without pay by the NFL.
Only one thing is certain at this point: Vick, the top overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft, is at a crossroads in his young life.
Vick, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, lost all his lucrative endorsement deals and still must contend with additional legal woes. He and co-defendants Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor are facing state animal cruelty charges in Surry County. Vick's trial is set for April 2.
"Whether or not it's too late for Michael Vick is still up in the air," said Daphna Nachminovitch, director of cruelty investigations for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "The cruelty of his past actions is a message that can't be stressed enough. There isn't a limit on how strong that message should be."
Vick attended a daylong seminar at PETA headquarters in Norfolk, Va., in September. Nachminovitch described Vick as "attentive" during a presentation on animal abuse.
Will a reformed Vick serve as a future PETA spokesperson?
"It's not likely that he'll be looked at as a spokesperson," Nachminovitch said. "We've considered having him send the (anti-cruelty) message through a series of public-service announcements, talking about how he lost his career and ended up in prison because of his actions.
"This case, as horrible as it is, woke America up."
And angered the majority of American sports fans and pet lovers.
"Some positive things have occurred due to this case," Nachminovitch said. "As far as something good coming out of it, something good already has come out of it. Several dogs were seized and are being given a second chance."
Vick hopes to receive a second chance in the NFL, as well as life outside prison.
"Mr. Vick looks forward to being reunited with his family upon completion of his sentence," Vick's attorney, Billy Martin, said in a statement. "He is hopeful that, following his release, he will have the opportunity to resume his career as a professional football player."
Leavenworth Times