Former Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick released from prison

Former football star Michael Vick released from prison

Michael Vick is now a free man! Former Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick has been released from prison today and was heading home, hoping to rebuild a reputation ruined by his role in a brutal dogfighting ring and regain a place in the National Football League.

Vick , the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, who spent 18 months behind bars, left the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, at about 0900 GMT accompanied by his fiancee, after evading reporters who had camped out at the prison.

“He was released this morning,” says Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Traci Billingsley.

Vick will spend the final two months of his sentence under house arrest at his home in Hampton, Virginia and will need to work at a 10-dollar-an-hour construction job. He will have to wear an electronic tag to allow federal officers to track his movements and will remain on probation for three years.

“It’s a happy day for him to be starting this part of the process,” said Larry Woodward, Vick’s Virginia-based lawyer. “He looks forward to meeting the challenges he has to meet.”

Michael Vick was sentenced in December 2007 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to operate a dogfighting enterprise across state lines. Vick’s admission that he shared in the slayings of six to eight dogs who had performed poorly in fights, including deaths by hanging, drowning and beating, prompted protests from American animal lovers.

Once among the NFL’s highest paid and most popular players, Vick is now battling bankruptcy and is indefinitely suspended from the league.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said that he will only discuss reinstating Vick when his sentence is completed. Then Vick must convince him that he is truly remorseful.

On the other hand, the Falcons still own Vick’s contract rights, but team owner Arthur Blank has said Vick, once the face of the franchise, won’t play for them again. As to whether he’ll make a return to the NFL with another team, Blank said that was largely up to Vick.

“I don’t know, but if I had to guess I would say yes. There’s no question that Michael has paid his debt to society.

“But beyond that, the commissioner has to decide whether or not Michael – based on his view – has not only the personal remorse, but has conducted himself not only personally but with who he’s associated with in a way that’s going to allow him to be a player in the NFL and represent our league well.”

Vick apparently wants to make a start toward that end with the Humane Society of the United States.
While in prison he met with Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle, who said Vick wanted to play a role in their anti-dogfighting campaign aimed at urban youth. Pacelle said he would like to give Vick a chance to prove his sincerity.

“When you step back and ponder it, we are actually the most logical place for him to go, we have the most developed programs on the issue, so if he’s sincere about making a difference, there’s no better place to land.”

“I sat with the man, but I still don’t know what’s in his heart. He said this experience has been a trauma and he’s changed forever… He asked for an opportunity to help. I want to give him that opportunity.”