Vick's Plea: Not Guilty

In a speedy preliminary hearing, as befitted one of the fastest-working judges in the US, Michael Vick pleaded not guilty to all dogfighting conspiracy charges leveled against him by the feds. The trial in Richmond, Virginia, was set for Nov. 26, at which point, Vick learned, he would probably be facing additional charges on top of the present ones.

His three co-defendants also pleaded not guilty, although some consider them likely to reverse their plea and testify against Vick for a reduced sentence. The legendarily speedy Judge Henry Hudson had the hearing over in less than 25 minutes, and he warned Vick's legal team tartly to prepare to get jury selection done—despite the anticipated avalanche of media coverage—in no more than a half day. (More NFL stories.)