Michael Vick to plead on Va. dogfighting charges

Suspended Falcons quarterback Michael Vick plans to enter a guilty plea next week on the state dogfighting charges he faces in Virginia, according to his attorneys Lawrence H. Woodward and Billy Martin.

Woodward and Martin filed a motion with the Surry County Circuit Court on Oct. 17, “asking the Court to allow Mr. Vick, pursuant to the Virginia Rules, to enter a plea of guilty to the pending state charges via videoconference,” Martin said in a statement released to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday. “Together with his motion, Mr. Vick filed a waiver in which he forgoes his right to personally appear at the plea hearing and agrees to be bound by the decision of the court.”

The hearing has been schedule for 11 a.m, Thursday, Oct. 30. The Virginia indictment charges Vick with one count of torturing and killing dogs and one count of promoting dogfighting. Each carries a maximum five-year prison term.

Vick is scheduled to be released from federal prison on July 20, 2009.

Surry County Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter previously announced he would not seek a trial date for Vick, and his three co-defendants, until they have served their federal time due to logistics and expense.

“Mr. Vick is committed to taking responsibility for his actions,” Martin said. “He is hopeful that, through this motion, the trial court will allow him to finally resolve these matters and put the charges behind him so that he can begin to focus on his future and to prepare to be reunited with his family.”

According to the motion filed by Martin and Woodward, Vick hopes that by resolving his state case he may become eligible for early release from federal prison and possibly enter a halfway house six months prior to his scheduled July release.