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Former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick resolved his recent legal problems Monday, pleading guilty to disorderly conduct charges in one court and speeding and driving without a valid driver's license in another.
The younger brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick first pleaded guilty in Hampton to the traffic violations that helped cost him his college football career.
Later in Suffolk, Marcus Vick pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charges as part of a plea bargain, prosecutor Phil Ferguson said. Vick was originally charged with three counts of brandishing a firearm after he was accused of pulling a gun on three teenagers.
Ferguson said "seriously conflicting evidence" led to the plea deal.
Vick was sentenced to six months in jail and a $500 fine. His jail time was suspended on condition of good behavior for one year.
"In light of all the facts in this case, this was a fair resolution," Ferguson said. "We believe there would have been seriously conflicting evidence."
Ferguson said other witnesses had said that it may have been a cell phone, not a gun, that Vick pulled on three people in a restaurant parking lot in January.
Tiffany Phillips, one of the three who accused Vick of pulling a gun, said she didn't think the plea deal was fair. Phillips, 22, said Vick pulled a handgun no smaller than a .22-caliber and placed it in the face of one of her friends.
"If this was somebody else on the street that would have done that, they wouldn't have been given a deal, they would have been serving some time," Phillips said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
The 21-year-old Vick could have faced up to three years in jail and a $7,500 fine.
After Vick stomped on the calf of a fallen opponent during the Jan. 2 Gator Bowl, Tech kicked him off the team for unsportsmanlike conduct and for violating a "zero tolerance" policy with the two traffic tickets.
Vick's license had been taken away in 2004 when he was cited for reckless driving and marijuana possession in New Kent County. University president Charles Steger suspended Vick from school at that time and warned that any additional problems off the field would end his time as a member of the Hokies' football team.
Vick also was convicted of serving alcohol to underage girls during the 2003 school year.
Three days after being kicked off the team, Vick was charged with pulling a gun during an altercation in a McDonald's parking lot.
Brian Woolfolk, an attorney representing two of the victims, said he was disappointed that they were not consulted prior to making the plea deal with Vick. He said the deal "looks like a slap on the wrist."
"Disorderly conduct is being drunk outside and yelling too much, not pulling a gun on someone," Woolfolk said.
Vick still must pay $236 in fines and court costs for the traffic charges.
He pleaded guilty to charges related to a Dec. 17 traffic stop. Police said he was driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone and with a suspended license. That charge was reduced to driving with an invalid license.
"It's just a traffic situation," Vick said outside of court in Hampton, declining further comment.
Vick made himself eligible for the NFL draft in April.
"Marcus is doing fine and he's looking forward to his future," his attorney, Lawrence Woodward, said after the hearing.
Source: AP
The younger brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick first pleaded guilty in Hampton to the traffic violations that helped cost him his college football career.
Later in Suffolk, Marcus Vick pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charges as part of a plea bargain, prosecutor Phil Ferguson said. Vick was originally charged with three counts of brandishing a firearm after he was accused of pulling a gun on three teenagers.
Ferguson said "seriously conflicting evidence" led to the plea deal.
Vick was sentenced to six months in jail and a $500 fine. His jail time was suspended on condition of good behavior for one year.
"In light of all the facts in this case, this was a fair resolution," Ferguson said. "We believe there would have been seriously conflicting evidence."
Ferguson said other witnesses had said that it may have been a cell phone, not a gun, that Vick pulled on three people in a restaurant parking lot in January.
Tiffany Phillips, one of the three who accused Vick of pulling a gun, said she didn't think the plea deal was fair. Phillips, 22, said Vick pulled a handgun no smaller than a .22-caliber and placed it in the face of one of her friends.
"If this was somebody else on the street that would have done that, they wouldn't have been given a deal, they would have been serving some time," Phillips said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
The 21-year-old Vick could have faced up to three years in jail and a $7,500 fine.
After Vick stomped on the calf of a fallen opponent during the Jan. 2 Gator Bowl, Tech kicked him off the team for unsportsmanlike conduct and for violating a "zero tolerance" policy with the two traffic tickets.
Vick's license had been taken away in 2004 when he was cited for reckless driving and marijuana possession in New Kent County. University president Charles Steger suspended Vick from school at that time and warned that any additional problems off the field would end his time as a member of the Hokies' football team.
Vick also was convicted of serving alcohol to underage girls during the 2003 school year.
Three days after being kicked off the team, Vick was charged with pulling a gun during an altercation in a McDonald's parking lot.
Brian Woolfolk, an attorney representing two of the victims, said he was disappointed that they were not consulted prior to making the plea deal with Vick. He said the deal "looks like a slap on the wrist."
"Disorderly conduct is being drunk outside and yelling too much, not pulling a gun on someone," Woolfolk said.
Vick still must pay $236 in fines and court costs for the traffic charges.
He pleaded guilty to charges related to a Dec. 17 traffic stop. Police said he was driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone and with a suspended license. That charge was reduced to driving with an invalid license.
"It's just a traffic situation," Vick said outside of court in Hampton, declining further comment.
Vick made himself eligible for the NFL draft in April.
"Marcus is doing fine and he's looking forward to his future," his attorney, Lawrence Woodward, said after the hearing.
Source: AP