RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge placed tighter restrictions on Michael Vick yesterday after the Atlanta Falcons quarterback tested positive for marijuana.
Because of the result, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson placed special conditions on Vick’s release, including restricting him to his home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with electronic monitoring and ordering him to submit to random drug testing.
The urine sample was submitted Sept. 13, according to a document by a federal probation officer that was filed in U.S. District Court yesterday.
Vick, who has admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation on property he owns in Surry County in his written federal plea, is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 10. He faces up to five years in prison.
Because Vick violated the conditions of his release, Hudson could take that into consideration during sentencing, said Linda Malone, a criminal procedure expert and Marshall-Wythe Foundation professor of law at the College of William and Mary.
“Every judge considers pretty seriously if they feel that the defendant has flaunted the conditions for release,” Malone said.
“It’s certainly not a smart thing to do.”
On Tuesday, Vick also was indicted on state charges of beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging in or promoting dogfighting. Each felony is punishable by up to five years in prison.
