Vick Offered Minimum One Year Prison Sentence as Part of Plea Deal

[Paintrain]

Do any of you guys calling for a longer sentence for the dogfighting realize that the MAXIMUM sentence for the dogfighting allegation alone is only 1 year? The interstate gambling carries a maximum of 5 years (which is the total of 6 years of possible sentencing) so if anything he's getting off very lightly on the gambling and paying his penance for the dogfighting..
From the Atlanta Journal Constitution Vick facing tricky legal options | ajc.com

Vick faces a single count that charges him with conspiring to violate three laws: the interstate travel act by crossing state lines to engage in illegal gambling; sponsoring a dog in an animal fighting venture; and buying, transporting and receiving dogs for animal fighting.

If Vick is convicted of conspiracy to engage in illegal gambling, the federal guidelines call for a sentence of between 10 and 16 months, Sadow said, noting the sentence can be split with a term of prison and home confinement. If Vick were to plead guilty and accept responsibility for this offense, Sadow said, his potential sentence under the guidelines would drop to six to 12 months.

If Vick is convicted only of conspiring to violate either of the two dogfighting laws, the guidelines call for a sentence of no more than six months, Sadow said. This time could be served on probation, home detention or in a halfway house.

As for his NFL status, I think he'll get an 8 game suspension when he is released and be back in the NFL in late 2008 or 2009. Yes he lied and violated the conduct policy.. Yes he will be a convicted criminal (we'll see if it's a felony or a misdemeanor when it's plead out) as a 1st time offender.. The league has to be careful however in setting a precedent because if they suspend him for 1 or 2 years for a first offense/conviction then what happens the next time a player bounces his wife off of a couple of walls? If he gets less than is the NFL saying a dog is worth more to it than a woman? I'll be somewhat surprised if he gets a season long suspension after he's out of prison.