Should Michael Vick use the race card as part of his defense?

Question

Just because he's a celebrity,should he be the goat of this dog fighting empire debacle?

Answer 1

He can play the race card or the celebrity card, or whatever cards he has in his hand and it's not going to save him.

And you have it all wrong--he's not the goat because he's a celebrity--he may get off because he's a celebrity and can afford the best defense team possible. If you or I were involved at the level he allegedly is, we would get locked up in a heartbeat. Remember O.J. and Ray Lewis? The fact that he is a celebrity is why they waited so long to indict him and had to be especially careful gathering the evidence as they knew they'd be facing a high priced team of defense lawyers. The indictment is 19 pages! They must have plenty of evidence to convict him.

Answer 2

If it's just because he's a celebrity, that doesn't have anything to do with race. You're getting your defenses confused. He's the goat of this debacle because he owned the house and there were witnesses saying that they saw him there during the fights. Race has nothing to do with it. It is true that if he didn't play pro football we would know nothing about it. But he is a high profile player in the middle of something that is very illegal, thus we know more about it because of the press coverage.

Answer 3

Not if he has any hope for resuming his career. If he tries that defense, every team and endorsement will shun him for fear of creating a backlash from the fans. Remember, once he goes down that road, the only people that will support are a certain number of Blacks. All other races will turn their backs on him. That includes Asians, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Whites. That is a large portion of the public to alienate.

As for being the goat, he knew he was going to be scrutinized the day he decided to accept the number one draft spot from the Falcons. I didn't see him negotiating his contract to say that only good things could be written about him and posted about him and it would ridiculous on his part to think that everyone isn't;t gunning for him. Besides, on the opposite end of that, a prosecutor will exploit this for their career just a drug dealer or common street thug would do it for them, and Vick doesn't seem to have a problem with associating with them.

Answer 4

By pulling the race card, it would make him look guilty.

Think about it, you are being charged with a crime that has mandatory jail time, and part of your defense is pulling the race card?

He hasn't been convicted yet. If they honestly have concrete evidence other than the cages found in a home that he didn't really use because a relative was there more often than he was, then he should go to prison. If he pulls the race card, it would ruin his chances at winning the case and it would ruin his already diminishing career.

Answer 5

I don't know if it will be used or not, but I hope it isn't because the race card is often played when it has no need to be.

As far as Vick saving his public image, he was screwed on that the day after allegations were said. Obviously, there are people signing petitions, picketing, writing to the NFL. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have already jumped on a bandwagon (and it isn't Vick's) and so Vick has already been condemned in the eyes of the public. It wouldn't matter if he was acquitted and bought 100,000 acres of land, and put a animal shelter on it, if we could go back in time and see if he did it, people will still believe what they want to believe and the media has already ruined Michael Vick's image.

Answer 6

It wouldn't be a good move - I still can't figure how racism has to do with the crime of killing dogs & dog-fighting.
He should pull the race card if he gets more than a few game suspension from the NFL - Anything more than 8 games from the NFL ... than its time for the race card because I doubt Manning would get the same ... but than again Manning hasn't been an off-field nightmare over his career

Answer 7

How do you know that Vick isn't the ringleader of the whole operation? Maybe he's the kingpin of a Surry County criminal empire, appointing his cousin as the drug lord. Nothing would surprise me at this point. The race-card is getting old and may only help him with sentencing.

Answer 8

I don't think that will play in his favor to attempt to make this an issue of skin color. Point to note - He is obviously being well advised. He does not avoid the media, but directly avoids discussing the issue. That action has nothing to do with guilt or innocents - it is specifically about avoiding the big hit. If the Vick defense team decides to say this about race they will lose serious creditability. No one believes Vick is in this position because of his skin color - maybe a bit more because of his fame - but not skin color.

Answer 9

I'm sure since he is going to be paying a legal team a fortune in his defense that the race card will be played. That's what they do when the evidence is ovewhelmingly against them.

If he would simply admit his guilt and get on with the penalties, he could save a lot of money, his career, and public image.

Answer 10

I don't think he's gonna use the race card issue in this case, you know why because the two clowns Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton didn't showed up to protest like they're normally have, thanks god. He shouldn't use the race issue because this absolutely not about race. If you do dogfighting, weather your white, black, Asian, Hispanic, or yellow you gonna get treat the same way. The Feds not gonna treat anybody more different than anybody especially a high profile case like this. If you do the crimes you do you do the times.