I’m not a Michael Vick fan, But once Michael Vick has served whatever jail time he gets handed, and pays all of his fines, and does all of his community service should he not have the right to go back and play in the NFL if there is a team willing to take him? It's not like he broke an NFL rule, he broke the state of Virginia’s rule, and at that point the state would have already administered it’s punishment for breaking that said rule. The NFL commissioner has started his own independent investigation Of Vick. This now officially equals Vick’s 2nd investigation (The other was by the state obviously) He will serve his sentence for the guilty plead he entered. Should the Commissioner then have the right to step in and have an additional hearing for the same charges? (Thus the double jeopardy)& hand out an additional punishment that might prevent Vick from making a living.
2007-08-27 06:02:54 · 29 answers · asked by SABADO GIGANTE 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Yes. This is clearly anything but a case of double jeopardy as you hypothesize. Double jeopardy refers only to cases in which the same defendant is tried by a court for the same crime twice.
The NFL is a private corporation and all employers have a right to extend, or restrict, employment based upon their own decisions. I own several businesses but that doesn't mean I have to hire you for any of them.
2007-08-27 06:11:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The NFL is not a court of law and can inflict any punishment it sees fit on any individual that has violated it's own rules of conduct. Even though M. Vick may do his time in Federal Prison, that does not give him the right to automatically return to the NFL. Double Jeopardy only applies in the court of laws. Look what happened to O.J. Simpson...he was found not guilty in Circuit Court, but the families took him to court under a civil infraction, and he lost and to this day he has not been able to earn a penny, the same thing could happen with Vick. If the NFL commissioner adds additional charges against Vick, only the commissioner and his governing body can decide if Vick will ever earn a living within the NFL, Vick may have to find another line of work to earn a living.
2007-08-27 06:17:15 · answer #2 · answered by robotchic 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, what the NFL is doing to Vick isn't even related to double jeopardy -- double jeopardy is when the government tries you more than once for the exact same crime.
First of all, the NFL isn't even remotely a government agency, so it's impossible for double jeopardy to apply.
Second, Vick hasn't been tried, he's pleading guilty, so that also stops jeopardy from attaching.
Third, as Vick's employer, they can do whatever they want as far as disciplining him in addition to whatever punishment he gets from the state or the feds. If you worked at the Gap and went to jail for stealing, your boss could fire you, too, because you're potentially risking the business.
Fourth, Vick TOTALLY broke the NFL's rules! Hello? Gambling is a big no-no when you're in pro sports -- ask Pete Rose and Tim Donaghy. Even if the NFL could ignore the dead puppies and the public relations nightmare that Vick has become, they couldn't ignore the gambling.
I mean, think about it: as fans, we can ignore drugs, violence, drunk driving, strippers on a boat, etc -- but when gambling comes into it, we start to think that maybe football isn't honest anymore! If we think that the game is fixed, that's when we stop going to games and stop watching games on TV -- pretty soon, we stop wearing jerseys and hoodies and caps. That's what the NFL is trying to avoid at all costs.
2007-08-27 10:10:35 · answer #3 · answered by Hillary 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This will be an interesting story to follow. Michael Vick, while guilty of doing some idiotic things, does not have a comparable criminal history to that of Pacman or Chris Henry. If sufficient evidence is brought against Vick to take him to trial, then he may have a lot more to worry about than an NFL suspension. Dog fighting is a felony and Vick might spend some time behind bars. He would probably be incarcerated during the off-season like Jamal Lewis. Vick has a history of being an idiot but not being a criminal. As a result I would be surprised if he was suspended for longer than 4 games. If he messes up again after that then he could be in a world of hurt.
2016-05-19 02:04:25 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He did break NFL rules when he broke the law (and got caught). No he doesn't have the "right" to go back and play; most regular employers do not hold someone's job because they have to serve jail time. And no, technically I wouldn't call it Double Jeopardy either because the NFL isn't a legal forum therefore are not actually "trying" him on the case. It'd be like telling a parent they can't ground their child after the child was found breaking into a house and was punished in a court system.
2007-08-27 06:15:31 · answer #5 · answered by A P 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The NFL is not part of the legal system and can function by their own "internal rules" - much like, if you work for a company - they can impose their own rules of conduct (such as dating within the company... particular dress codes... rules against doing particular things while under contract with them, etc.)
The NFL and its commissioner is not "punishing" Michael Vick in the legal sense - however, they have the right to not allow this person to be hired by any of their franchises.
2007-08-27 06:21:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
michael vick doesn't have the right to play in the nfl. he has the privilege to play in the nfl, which can be revoked. and there have been numerous allegations that he bet on the fights, which would violate the nf's personal conduct policy. double jeopardy refers only to the criminal justice system. as vick's employer, the falcons and the nfl have the right to determine if he broke any of the contracts he signed with them or violated any of the policies he was subject to.
2007-08-27 06:12:55 · answer #7 · answered by C_Millionaire 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not double jeopardy, one is a legal punishment, and the other a professional. He's being suspended because he violated the personal conduct code of the NFLPA agreement. Look at it like this... if i went out and did something really stupid like smoked crack and crashed my car and got arrested, i would face legal punishment. I would also face suspension, and possibly dismissal from my employer because i violated my employer's no drug policy. Commish Goodell is investigating in a different manner than law enforcement authorities because he likely wants to make sure vick gets fair treatment from the league. He violated his contractual obligation and goodell is determining what is a fitting consequence of that.
2007-08-27 06:18:59 · answer #8 · answered by newnews012506 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The NFL and the government are 2 completely different things. It would be double jeopardy if the government was charging him 2 times. The NFL, as his employer, has every right to investigate and terminate him.
2007-08-27 06:09:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
The NFL is not a government entity. It is a private entity. It is free to do whatever it wants. It will make its decision based upon revenue considerations. Which will detract more from projected revenues, Michael Vick's presence or Michael Vick's absence?
2007-08-27 06:12:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋