Vick could escape state charges

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A law professor says a Virginia law could keep former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick from facing state dog fighting charges.

Vick already has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in federal court. Anne Coughlin of the University of Virginia School of Law told the Newport News Daily Press the state law provides some protection to defendants facing Virginia and federal charges.

"You cannot be tried in the state for the 'same acts' that were the subject of a federal prosecution," she said. "The issue is going to be whether the federal prosecution for conspiracy and the state prosecution for dogfighting is for the same acts. It's going to depend on the judge's interpretation of that phrase 'same acts.'"

At a court hearing Wednesday to find out whether Vick and his co-defendants had lawyers, his attorney, Larry Woodward said he would be talking to the prosecutor. Another possibility is that Vick is considering a guilty plea.

Vick is scheduled to be sentenced on the federal charges in December. He admitted conspiring to run a dog-fighting operation on property he owned in Surry County, Va.