Dear Michael Vick: Tell Me You’re Not This Stupid

• Tweet
• Email

Michael Vick’s attorney Larry Woodward said his client was “long gone” from a birthday party that ended with the shooting of his dogfighting co-defendant Quanis Phillips, but new video evidence appears to contradict his claim.

According to the Daily Press of Newport News, VA, surveillance video from the Guadalajara restaurant shows Vick leaving the establishment at 2:07 a.m. – three minutes prior to the shooting.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when someone tells me they were long gone, I think of an amount time much greater than three minutes.

The surveillance video doesn’t necessarily put Vick in the forefront of possible suspects. In fact, at this time police do not consider him a suspect in the shooting.

However, it certainly doesn’t help Vick’s case in the court of public opinion.

According to reports, Phillips either tapped or slapped the hand of Vick’s fiancee Kijafa Frink during the party. It’s hard to imagine Vick – or anyone else – shooting Phillips over such a trivial incident.

To his credit, Vick voluntarily offered his statement to police and by all accounts has cooperated fully with the authorities.

The fact Vick was in the vicinity of this incident casts doubt on whether he was involved or not. For someone trying to overcome a past like his, this is the very last thing he needed to push his dogfighting conviction farther into the past.

Personally, I don’t believe Vick had anything to do with shooting Phillip’s. He couldn’t be this stupid.

But the Phillips incident puts Vick on shaky ground based upon the conditions of his probation.

One of the requirements of Vick’s probation is that he not associate with felons. His NFL reinstatement included a stipulation that he comply with all terms of his probation.

The NFL will await the conclusion of the investigation before determining if any action should be taken against Vick.

Chances are Vick will be cleared of any involvement in this matter, but he’s guilty for not thinking of the potential consequences.