Vick co-defendant pleads guilty

The biggest concern for Michael Vick supporters was that one of his co-defendants would flip and turn prosecution witness. That has now happened. ? Tony Taylor, 34, entered a plea of guilty this morning in federal court in Virginia and will cooperate with the prosecution. This has major ramifications for Vick’s defense.

ESPN.com’s Lester Munson explains:

As the scheme grew, according to the indictment, Taylor played a central role. When it was time to build three large sheds to stage fights and to house dogs and equipment, Taylor obtained the necessary permits from the authorities in Surry County. He applied for the building permit for the sheds on May 2, 2003, according to records maintained by Wallace Mavin, the Surry County Building Official, and he paid the necessary fees even though Vick’s name was listed as the owner and the applicant. Taylor described himself as Vick’s “agent,” in the documents. The house and shed, according to applications filed in May 2003, cost $362,000.

Prosecutors claim Taylor also allegedly helped purchase pit bulls and killed at least two dogs that fared poorly in test fights.

It will be powerful evidence against Vick, putting Vick and his money squarely in the middle of the scheme and its growth and development.

The charges in the indictment also show that Taylor can describe Vick as personally present at fights and at executions of dogs who did not perform well enough for Vick and his cohorts.

Taylor becomes the fifth prosecution witness, and possibly the most damning, who will finger Vick as a major figure in the dog fighting underworld.

Vick also faces a “superseding indictment,” which usually means additional witnesses and additional charges on top of what he’s already been charged with.

With each new revelation, it appears more and more likely that Vick is in serious jeopardy of spending what should be the prime of his career behind bars. And if that happens, he will become one of the most tragic figures in NFL history, brought down by his own stupidity and arrogance.