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7/30/2007 09:49:00 AM

Not just another manic Monday

Monday morning is a tough time for many of us, but this Monday morning looks to be especially lousy for Mike Vick.

One of Vick's co-defendants, Tony Taylor (or "T," if you've been scoring at home) entered a guilty plea on Monday morning at federal court in Richmond. More significantly for Vick, Taylor agreed to cooperate fully with prosecutors.

Anyone who's watched an episode of Law & Order (by definition, everyone in America) should know what really means. That's right, T is ready to sing. And here's betting the chorus won't be about "P-Funk."

One thing that Emmitt Smith and others have gotten at least partially right in their often harebrained defenses of Vick is that the feds are going after him so zealously because he's famous. Certainly, there is some truth to that general notion. By prosecuting high-profile defendants, the authorities can send a disproportionately loud message that illegal behavior from avoiding taxes (hello, Pete Rose and others) to lying to federal authorities (greetings, Martha Stewart) to dogfighting may well result in jail time.

On the other hand, rich and famous defendants can afford the very best lawyers and dirt-diggers that money can buy. If this case does go to trial with Taylor as a government witness, Vick's lawyers will likely make Vick's longtime friend look like a thug who would sell out his own sainted mother for a signed Ron Mexico jersey. So the dance goes.

Still, the music likely got a lot louder for Vick this morning.
posted by SI.com | View comments |  

Comments:

Posted: July 30, 2007 10:23 AM   by Anonymous
Maybe he is the fall guy?
Posted: July 30, 2007 11:45 AM   by Anonymous
The biggest difference between Vick and others is the media circus surrounding it. To listen to some Vick and his companions will be the first to be tried for dogfighting in the USA and it's only because they are black. Reality though is that the media could care less if Joe Anybody is convicted of dogfighting. And the Feds have to estatic if they can nail Vick but that's because of the said media circus, not because he's black. No one cares if they nail someone until they are famous.
I wonder if Vick had to list Ron Mexico as an alias in the court documents.

Pete, I think you need a little more street cred. Since you are completely against a hat, I think a nickname is the way to go.
What ever happened to friends like Greg Anderson, who were willing to do some time for a brother?

And since Vick had to surrender his passport when he was arraigned, does he have to change his alias to Ron New Mexico?
Posted: July 30, 2007 1:53 PM   by Anonymous
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THIS POST. I HAVE NEVER, EVER SEEN AN EPISODE OF LAW & ORDER.
Posted: July 30, 2007 5:31 PM   by Smart Alec
unlike Law and Order a defense atty. who goes after a witness who cooperates in exchange for a lesser sentence usually doesn't get very far. If that's all Vick's lawyer can offer, then Vick better stock up on vaseline.
Posted: July 31, 2007 3:53 AM   by Anonymous
vick is being prosecuted for this horrendous crime because it is a horrendous crime. now i admit it is being so widely publicized because he is a celebrity athlete. i wont deny that. but the naacp is defending him because he is a celebrity athelete if it were joe schmoe they wouldnt be saying a word about this. i dont care if he is mr white man, black man, yellow or purple. you participate in this torture of these innocent creatures by encouraging them to fight i think you should rot in hell.
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