Fillean meal ar an meallaire.
Evil returns to the evil doer.

 

 

(Fortunately, this story does not involve Irish Wolfhounds. The Irish Wolfhound Society of Ireland does not restrict itself to just Irish Wolfhound breed information, health and welfare issues. After the championship shows are over and done with, dogs of all breeds are our responsibility.  What follows is a sickening and disgusting story. The full indictment may be read here, but you are warned that it is nauseating reading.)

 

We can only hope that Michael Vick and his accomplices go to prison for a very long time. )

 

 

The Michael Vick Dog-Cruelty Case Isn't the Same Old Thing 

 

By Ann Woolner

 

 

July 19 (Bloomberg) -- So often does an athlete get into trouble with the law that it is a cliche to say the sports pages read like crime blotters.

And yet, the indictment this week of football superstar Michael Vick for allegedly conspiring to run an interstate dog- fighting operation kicks suspected criminal conduct by pro athletes into a whole new category.

We have grown accustomed to the gunplay, the drug use, the assaults on women, the assaults on men, the really bad driving. Not to mention generally boorish behavior.

The 18-page indictment returned this week against Vick and three other men describes something quite different: a long- running criminal conspiracy carefully planned, scrupulously hidden, potentially lucrative and cold-heartedly cruel.

Vick, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, as it turns out also owns the aptly named Bad Newz Kennels in rural Virginia.

There, dogs were beaten, hung, electrocuted, starved and forced to fight other abused dogs while their owners and others bet thousands of dollars on which dog would die or give up in agony first, the indictment says.

The poor creatures who lost matches, or whose torturous training never built them into vicious enough fighters, were summarily killed, federal grand jurors allege. And they aren't talking about putting down a family hound to halt the ravages of disease or old age.

They are talking about, for example, wetting down a dog and then applying an electrical charge. Or slamming the dog to the ground. Or shooting, hanging or drowning the pooch.

Accused in Killings

Vick carried out some of the killings, which continued into this April, and was consulted in at least one other, the indictment says.

The Falcons' immediate reaction to the indictment doesn't quite capture the horror of the crimes alleged.

``We are disappointed that one of our players -- and therefore the Falcons -- is being presented to the public in a negative way, and we apologize to our fans and the community for that,'' the team's statement said.

Presented to the public in a negative way? The club seems to be apologizing for a bit of bad publicity.

While confessing ``we are disturbed'' by the indictment, the Falcons' statement says the club will soldier on through this adversity ``as the legal process plays out.'' With a new season coming up, ``Our plan is to continue to do everything we can to support our players and coaches.''

Well, I, for one, am relieved that the players and coaches will be supported. Whatever that means.

False Accusations

It is true, of course, indictment does not proof of guilt make. The Duke University non-rape case teaches that, as have other instances where false accusations led to mass hysteria, ruined reputations and caused job loss.

So let us remember that Vick has repeatedly declared himself innocent. He says he had no idea what was happening on his property, living as he does in Atlanta.

The only crime he will admit was helping relatives by giving them a place to live in Virginia. It was them, not he, who did whatever was done to those poor creatures while Vick was away and unaware, he says.

``It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it,'' he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in April after a raid at the house turned up dozens of animals, some scarred and hungry, as well as dog-fighting paraphernalia.

``It's a call for me to really tighten down on who I'm trying to take care of,'' Vick said. ``When it all boils down, people will try to take advantage of you and leave you out to dry.''

Poor, victimized Vick.

All the Blame

It is hard to imagine his co-defendants will take kindly to getting all the blame, especially if prosecutors come around offering a bargain for turning against Vick.

Already the indictment cites information from four unnamed individuals who are acting as confidential witnesses. One of them says Vick personally paid him $11,000 after Bad Newz's dog lost to his in 2003.

Another witness says he got $23,000 in cash from Vick for two of his dogs' victories over Bad Newz dogs.

And yet another who is cooperating with the feds describes a fight involving one of his dogs where he was chastised for shouting out Vick's name in front of the crowd. Vick was at the fight, the indictment says.

It is only an indictment, I know.

But not even Vick disputes that he owns the property where, the feds say, 54 dogs were found, where equipment for training dogs was seized, where bloody carpeting and buried carcasses paint a clear picture. You would think the National Football League would seize the opportunity to separate itself from the whole horrific thing.

Cruel and Degrading

The league, at least, has acknowledged that ``the activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal.''

And while the NFL, like the team, says it will let the legal process take its course, it also pledges cooperation and to apply its personal-conduct policy to the matter.

It doesn't take a criminal conviction to get disciplined under the policy. It is enough for a player to exhibit ``conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL.''

The league's new commissioner, Roger Goodell, has pledged a get-tough policy for errant players. Vick has given him a chance to show he means what he says, no matter how valuable the player, no matter how unusual the conduct.

(Ann Woolner is a Bloomberg news columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.)

 

Source:  www.bloomberg.com