Co-defendant: Vick financed dogfighting
1 hour, 7 minutes ago
RICHMOND, Va. - One of Michael Vick's co-defendants pleaded guilty Monday to his role in a dogfighting conspiracy he says was financed almost entirely by the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.
As part of a plea agreement, Tony Taylor pledged to fully cooperate with the government in its prosecution of Vick and two other men accused of running an interstate dogfighting enterprise known as "Bad Newz Kennels" on Vick's property in rural Surry County.
"The 'Bad Newz Kennels' operation and gambling monies were almost exclusively funded by Vick," a summary of facts supporting the plea agreement and signed by Taylor states.
The plea deal requires Taylor to testify against Vick and his two remaining co-defendants if called upon to do so. Taylor cannot get a stiffer sentence or face any new charges based on any new information he provides, according to terms of the agreement.
Additional charges are possible, however, against Vick and the other two. Federal prosecutors have said a superseding indictment will be issued in August.
Vick's lead attorney, Billy Martin, did not immediately return a phone message.
Taylor, 34, of Hampton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.
Vick pleaded not guilty to the same charges last week and said in a written statement that he looked forward to "clearing my good name." He also pleaded with the public to resist a rush to judgment.
The gruesome details outlined in the July 17 indictment have fueled public protests against Vick and prompted the suspension of some of his lucrative endorsement deals. Also, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp.
The summary of facts signed by Taylor supports the indictment's claims that the dogfighting ring executed underperforming dogs by drowning, hanging and other brutal means. Taylor admitted shooting one dog and electrocuting another when they did not perform well in test fights in the summer of 2002.
Vick, 27, attended several dogfights in Virginia and other states with his partners, according to the statement. Prosecutors claim the fights offered purses as high as $26,000.
Taylor, who will be sentenced Dec. 14, said he was not promised any specific sentence in return for his cooperation with the government.
He faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although federal sentencing guidelines likely will call for less. The range will be determined by the court's probation office, but the judge can depart from that range if he finds aggravating or mitigating circumstances.
Taylor and his attorney, Stephen A. Hudgins of Newport News, declined to answer reporters' questions as they left the federal courthouse. Prosecutors also would not comment.
During the hearing, Taylor spoke only in response to routine yes-or-no questions from U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. He answered "Yes" when the judge asked if he had agreed to cooperate with the government.
Taylor acknowledged in the summary of facts that he found the property that Vick purchased in 2001 for $30,000 for development into a dogfighting compound. Taylor says he maintained and trained the dogs for about three years, using his share of winnings — which were split among the partners — for living expenses.
He left the operation after a falling out with co-defendant Quanis L. Phillips and others in September 2004, according to the statement of facts.
Vick and Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, are scheduled for trial Nov. 26. They remain free without bond.
Vick said he looked forward to clearing his good name. Yeah, we'll see what happens in court. Then we'll decide if your name is still good or if you're nothing but a worthless liar, or if you're just worthless like your punk-ass younger brother.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
mush! mush! mush! fly! fly! fly! we'll enjoy it while it lasts
"Simpsons Movie" rules foreign box office
Reuters
Sun Jul 29, 11:29 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Duplicating its No. 1 debut in North America, "The Simpsons Movie" opened on top internationally over the weekend, grossing an estimated $96 million from 71 territories.
The Fox TV franchise, which has run 18 seasons and some 400 episodes, proved to be a No. 1 attraction as a feature film in just about every market it played, according to Paul Hanneman, co-president of 20th Century Fox International. Its worldwide box office total stands at $167.9 million.
Opening weekend tallies of "Simpsons" in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay set film industry records. In Finland, it registered the biggest opening weekend ever for an animation title, as well as setting opening-weekend records for Fox in Bolivia, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
The film's biggest single market was the U.K., where Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie hauled away an estimated $27.8 million. "The Simpsons" stands as Fox's second-biggest U.K. opening ever, after 2005's "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith."
In Germany, "Simpsons" drew an estimated $14.2 million, the third-biggest market opening for an animation title. In Australia, the tally was $10.7 million, which Hanneman believed was the biggest market opening ever for an animation title.
The debut in France provided an estimated $9.3 million. The Spain bow, also Fox's second-biggest on record after "Sith," came in at $9.7 million.
Hanneman noted that "Simpsons" opened in eight of the top 15 international markets on the weekend, with playdates in the remaining top markets spread out over August and September.
After two weekends at No. 1, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" slipped to No. 2 with $50 million from 59 markets; its total stands at $450 million. Britain leads the way with $76.4 million, followd by Germany with $45.7 million.
Finishing third was "Transformers," which took in $42 million from 48 markets. Its overseas total stands at $246.5 million. By far, the biggest of the five new markets for "Transformers" was the U.K., where it bowed to an estimated $16.6 million.
In fourth place was "Ratatouille," which charmed $10 million from 18 territories, led by Japan with $4.2 million and South Korea with $2 million. Openings in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Holland, Hong Kong and Taiwan are scheduled through the coming week.
No. 5 was "Die Hard 4," with $8.5 million from 51 markets. Released domestically as "Live Free or Die Hard," the film has earned $175 million internationally, with a slew of key overseas markets to play in August through October.
Other foreign totals: "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," $644.5 million; "Shrek the Third," $397.5 million; "Mr. Bean's Holiday" (which bows domestically on August 24), $186 million; "Ocean's Thirteen," $159.3 million; and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," $110 million.
bwaaa-hahahahaha!
Homer Rakes in the D'oh; Lindsay Doesn't
Sun Jul 29, 11:11 AM ET
Los Angeles (E! Online) - The latest season of The Simpsons was solid. The opening weekend of The Simpsons Movie was huge.
Lindsay Lohan's new movie wasn't. Solid, huge or much of anything.
That Lohan's new vehicle sputtered was no surprise. That Homer and Marge's new set of wheels got off to such a fast start wasn't, either.
The much-marketed, well-reviewed Simpsons Movie socked away $71.9 million, dominating the weekend box-office competition, per Exhibitor Relations Co. estimates Sunday.
The performance marked the third-biggest opening for an animated movie, behind Shrek the Third and Shrek 2, and, for those who love minutia within minutia, the all-time biggest opening for a traditional, 2D-animated movie. (The Shreks of the world are considered works of new-fangled 3D animation.)
An even-more offbeat, but perhaps more telling factoid: If every current viewer of the ultra-long-running Fox comedy (it averaged 8.9 million devotees last season) bought a movie ticket this weekend (at, say, 2006's average price of $6.55), The Simpsons Movie "only" would have grossed $58.3 million.
A Fox executive didn't argue that The Simpsons Movie drew in fans beyond The Simpsons TV show.
"I think there's no question of that," Chris Aronson, Fox senior vice president of distribution, said on Sunday. "...What we found is we had extraordinary family play."
The way Aronson sees it, The Simpsons Movie also tapped into the franchise's large well of lapsed Simpsons fans--people who watched the TV series in 1996, say, but not 2006.
"Eighteen years is a long time to watch a TV series," Aronson said.
Springfield's finest--Homer, Marge and jaundiced charges--have been TV stars on Fox since 1989--or 1987, if you count their early, formative years as fillers on The Tracey Ullman Show. The Simpsons is due to embark on its 19th season this fall.
The success of The Simpsons Movie meant a demotion for last weekend's champ, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (second place, $19.1 million; $71.6 million overall). Still, the Adam Sandler-Kevin James comedy held up better than most in these short-attention-span days, with business down only 44 percent this weekend from last.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (third place, $17.1 million; $241.8 million overall), Hairspray (fourth place, $15.6 million; $59.3 million overall) and Transformers (sixth place, $11.5 million; $284.6 million overall) each added to its respective take with another eight-digit weekend.
No Reservations, the Catherine Zeta-Jones-Aaron Eckhart romantic kitchen comedy, did better than its lousy reviews might have portended. This is not to say the movie did well, but with an $11.8 million opening (fifth place), it did about as much (or little) as romantic comedies of any setting are doing this year. Its debut was smaller than Music and Lyrics's and Because I Said So's; it was bigger than License to Wed's.
Speaking of License to Wed, there's not much to say. In its fourth weekend, the Robin Williams experience fell out of the Top 10 ($1.3 million), having huffed and puffed all the way to a $41.7 million cumulative haul.
Also falling out of the Top 10: 1408 ($1.2 million, per Box Office Mojo), which leaves after a respectable, six-week, $70 million-grossing run; Knocked Up ($1.2 million), which leaves after an admirable, nine-week, $145.1 million-grossing run; and, Evan Almighty ($1.1 million; $96.3 million overall), which leaves before anyone can make anymore snide remarks at its expensive expense.
In a couple of days or so, I Know Who Killed Me will like, Evan Almighty, have slipped from sight. But for now, the Lohan thriller is fair game.
Opening three days after its star was busted for DUI and cocaine possession a grand sum of 11 days after checking out rehab, the movie "grossed" $3.4 million (ninth place), the weakest debut of Lohan's nearly 10-year film career, save for 2006's Bobby, which opened at only two theaters, according to Box Office Mojo stats.
Lohan's bad box-office run began last year with the, as it turned out, the inaptly titled comedy Just My Luck, and coincided with bad press concerning her off-screen bouts of dehydration and other maladies.
If it'll make Lohan feel any better, I Know Who Killed Me did manage to fend off the new comedy Who's Your Caddy? (10th place, $2.9 million), which all things considered did very well for a movie that somebody decided, after careful consideration, to name Who's Your Caddy?
On the art-house scene, the new Queen Latifah-narrated documentary Artic Tale ($20,555 at four theaters) was no March of the Penguins, which scooted off with $137,492 also at just four theaters in 2005, per Box Office Mojo.
A much bigger draw was the Iraq War doc No End in Sight ($31,500 at two theaters), which sold more tickets, per site, than any movie other than The Simpsons Movie.
For one weekend, at least, Homer couldn't lose.
Here's a rundown of the top 10 films based on Friday-Sunday estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:
• The Simpsons Movie, $71.9 million • I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, $19.1 million • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $17.1 million • Hairspray, $15.6 million • No Reservations, $11.8 million • Transformers, $11.5 million • Ratatouille, $7.2 million • Live Free or Die Hard, $5.4 million • I Know Who Killed Me, $3.4 million • Who's Your Caddy?, $2.9 million
Sun Jul 29, 11:11 AM ET
Los Angeles (E! Online) - The latest season of The Simpsons was solid. The opening weekend of The Simpsons Movie was huge.
Lindsay Lohan's new movie wasn't. Solid, huge or much of anything.
That Lohan's new vehicle sputtered was no surprise. That Homer and Marge's new set of wheels got off to such a fast start wasn't, either.
The much-marketed, well-reviewed Simpsons Movie socked away $71.9 million, dominating the weekend box-office competition, per Exhibitor Relations Co. estimates Sunday.
The performance marked the third-biggest opening for an animated movie, behind Shrek the Third and Shrek 2, and, for those who love minutia within minutia, the all-time biggest opening for a traditional, 2D-animated movie. (The Shreks of the world are considered works of new-fangled 3D animation.)
An even-more offbeat, but perhaps more telling factoid: If every current viewer of the ultra-long-running Fox comedy (it averaged 8.9 million devotees last season) bought a movie ticket this weekend (at, say, 2006's average price of $6.55), The Simpsons Movie "only" would have grossed $58.3 million.
A Fox executive didn't argue that The Simpsons Movie drew in fans beyond The Simpsons TV show.
"I think there's no question of that," Chris Aronson, Fox senior vice president of distribution, said on Sunday. "...What we found is we had extraordinary family play."
The way Aronson sees it, The Simpsons Movie also tapped into the franchise's large well of lapsed Simpsons fans--people who watched the TV series in 1996, say, but not 2006.
"Eighteen years is a long time to watch a TV series," Aronson said.
Springfield's finest--Homer, Marge and jaundiced charges--have been TV stars on Fox since 1989--or 1987, if you count their early, formative years as fillers on The Tracey Ullman Show. The Simpsons is due to embark on its 19th season this fall.
The success of The Simpsons Movie meant a demotion for last weekend's champ, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (second place, $19.1 million; $71.6 million overall). Still, the Adam Sandler-Kevin James comedy held up better than most in these short-attention-span days, with business down only 44 percent this weekend from last.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (third place, $17.1 million; $241.8 million overall), Hairspray (fourth place, $15.6 million; $59.3 million overall) and Transformers (sixth place, $11.5 million; $284.6 million overall) each added to its respective take with another eight-digit weekend.
No Reservations, the Catherine Zeta-Jones-Aaron Eckhart romantic kitchen comedy, did better than its lousy reviews might have portended. This is not to say the movie did well, but with an $11.8 million opening (fifth place), it did about as much (or little) as romantic comedies of any setting are doing this year. Its debut was smaller than Music and Lyrics's and Because I Said So's; it was bigger than License to Wed's.
Speaking of License to Wed, there's not much to say. In its fourth weekend, the Robin Williams experience fell out of the Top 10 ($1.3 million), having huffed and puffed all the way to a $41.7 million cumulative haul.
Also falling out of the Top 10: 1408 ($1.2 million, per Box Office Mojo), which leaves after a respectable, six-week, $70 million-grossing run; Knocked Up ($1.2 million), which leaves after an admirable, nine-week, $145.1 million-grossing run; and, Evan Almighty ($1.1 million; $96.3 million overall), which leaves before anyone can make anymore snide remarks at its expensive expense.
In a couple of days or so, I Know Who Killed Me will like, Evan Almighty, have slipped from sight. But for now, the Lohan thriller is fair game.
Opening three days after its star was busted for DUI and cocaine possession a grand sum of 11 days after checking out rehab, the movie "grossed" $3.4 million (ninth place), the weakest debut of Lohan's nearly 10-year film career, save for 2006's Bobby, which opened at only two theaters, according to Box Office Mojo stats.
Lohan's bad box-office run began last year with the, as it turned out, the inaptly titled comedy Just My Luck, and coincided with bad press concerning her off-screen bouts of dehydration and other maladies.
If it'll make Lohan feel any better, I Know Who Killed Me did manage to fend off the new comedy Who's Your Caddy? (10th place, $2.9 million), which all things considered did very well for a movie that somebody decided, after careful consideration, to name Who's Your Caddy?
On the art-house scene, the new Queen Latifah-narrated documentary Artic Tale ($20,555 at four theaters) was no March of the Penguins, which scooted off with $137,492 also at just four theaters in 2005, per Box Office Mojo.
A much bigger draw was the Iraq War doc No End in Sight ($31,500 at two theaters), which sold more tickets, per site, than any movie other than The Simpsons Movie.
For one weekend, at least, Homer couldn't lose.
Here's a rundown of the top 10 films based on Friday-Sunday estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:
• The Simpsons Movie, $71.9 million • I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, $19.1 million • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $17.1 million • Hairspray, $15.6 million • No Reservations, $11.8 million • Transformers, $11.5 million • Ratatouille, $7.2 million • Live Free or Die Hard, $5.4 million • I Know Who Killed Me, $3.4 million • Who's Your Caddy?, $2.9 million
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