Surry, Va. — Commonwealth attorney Gerald Poindexter will seek an indictment against Falcons quarterback Michael Vick this year, possibly as soon as September.

Poindexter told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday that since Vick has been federally indicted, Poindexter expects to seek indictments for dogfighting and killing dogs, both state felonies. Poindexter said he will proceed now that county and federal investigators say they have located witnesses that can link Vick and his co-defendants to dogfighting.

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"My concern is that dogs were fought in Surry County," Poindexter said. "I'm interested in what is alleged to be the killing of dogs and dogfighting."

His 34-year-old son John Poindexter, a Washington lawyer who just finished a tour of duty in Iraq, said his father has been unjustly attacked by those who say he has balked at prosecuting Vick.

"I think my father is in a difficult position," the younger Poindexter said. "I know if he believes Michael Vick committed this felony, he is going to do everything he can to prosecute him — vigorously. He is going to handle it the right way.

"It took the federal government six or seven weeks to indict, and he doesn't have anything close to their resources."

Poindexter said the pressure of the investigation, which began in April, has been tough.

"I've never been in so much stress in my life," Poindexter said. "I receive hate mail. People tell me they wish I was dead. They say, 'Why did you let him fight dogs or mistreat dogs out there?' Well, we didn't have any evidence they were fighting or mistreating dogs."

Almost all the dogs on Vick's property appeared healthy and happy, not abused or vicious Poindexter said. There was little evidence that proved a crime.

Poindexter noted that the physical evidence unveiled so far in the Vick case, while damming to the public, is weak when it comes to actually proving a crime. The treadmills and other equipment found of the property are associated with training fighting dogs, but not illegal themselves.

Some neighbors said they never had a clue that dog fighting occurred on the property.

Earnest Hardy Sr., 56, who lives next door to the property, said he never got any indication of any illegal activity and the dogs in Vick's kennels were relatively quiet. He said another neighbor's dozen hunting dogs made more noise.

"I'd bet 100 dollars that no local resident has attended a dogfight on Vick's property because people would have heard of it," Poindexter said. "This is a small community, and people know things. It's like any country community."

But, he said, blood smears in a room above the garage indicate that dogs fought there, and federal investigators uncovered graves of dogs.

If witnesses link the buried carcasses or fighting to Vick or his associates they will be indicted, Poindexter said.

"You have to have evidence that shows dogfighting occurred in Surry County," he said. "People don't seem to be able to grasp that."