Michael Vick hires defense attorney

ATLANTA, March 24 (UPI) -- An Atlanta lawyer says he has been hired by former NFL quarterback Michael Vick, who may be released from prison in May, to be his defense attorney.

Attorney Daniel Meachum, who was an original member of Vick's defense team when the former Atlanta Falcons star was first charged with staging illegal dogfights, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he has signed an exclusive three-year contract to represent Vick.

Vick, whose sentence runs through July 21, could be released to a halfway house as early as May. Meachum said he wants to help Vick put his life back together, telling the newspaper, "My concern is helping Michael get back to his family and surround him with people like Julius Erving, Tony Dungy and Bishop T.D. Jakes. We need people around him who can help him and his family get back on the right track."

Meachum added that a rumored book from Vick "may or may not be in the making. That would too premature right now. But I'm committed to helping Mike get back on his feet."