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Vick Pleads Guilty to Killing Dogs, Conspiracy

Atlanta Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick admitted to funding a dogfighting ring and partaking in the April killings of at least six dogs that didn't fight well, according to a plea agreement filed at the Richmond, Va., federal district court today. Vick maintains he didn't gamble on the fights, but the guilty plea holds charges of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, full restitution, a special assessment, and three years of supervised release, according to the deal. Federal prosecutors have agreed to seek the low end of the sentence, reports CNN. Vick returns to court on Monday. Read more.  

Vick's lawyers say he pled guilty to these charges because he is, in fact, guilty, but whether his career can recover after he completes his sentence is a matter of debate. Vick is being held accountable for his role in the dogfighting operation, but is he a victim of a racist criminal-justice system? The public remains starkly divided on the case, including the black community. The Atlanta chapter of the NAACP submitted a letter of support on Vick's behalf, and chapter president the Rev. R.L. White says Vick should be allowed to play for the NFL upon completing his prison sentence.

White, who was accused of "playing the race card" in this case, says he only wants to ensure Vick is treated fairly by the public and the courts. But his vote of confidence for Vick created a schism in the NAACP; the national organization had not commented on what might happen to Vick's career after he gets out of jail. Interim NAACP President Dennis Hayes says Vick should be held accountable for his behavior, and dismisses the argument that rap and hip-hop videos that portray dogfighting positively means the practice is accepted in urban black culture. "That's a product of stereotypical thinking," Hayes tells MSNBC. The racial divides that this case has enflamed do not appear to be narrowing any time soon. Read more.

(See also: Mike Vick: Guilty Until Proven Innocent? Our Readers Can't Stop Talking About It)

Should Baggy Pants Be Illegal?

Baggy pants that expose boxers or thongs would be illegal under a proposed amendment to Atlanta's indecency laws. City Councilman C.T. Martin, who is sponsoring the amendment, says baggy pants are an "epidemic" that's becoming a "major concern" around the country because they set a poor example for young people, one Martin believes may undermine their future by giving them the wrong idea about appropriate attire. Martin's proposal would also bar women from exposing the tops of thong underwear and from wearing jogging bras in public or showing bra straps, says American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia's executive director, Debbie Seagraves. If the proposal is accepted, it would be filed under the same legal area that prohibits public sex and exposure or fondling of genitals. What would be the penalty? Seagraves says the "dress code" wouldn't last long in court because the "banned attire" is a style that originated in the black-youth culture, and the bill would promote racial profiling, reports The Associated Press.

Top Civil-Rights Lawyer Calls It Quits

A top civil-rights prosecutor in the Department of Justice resigned Thursday. The departure of Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim, who was the first immigrant and first Korean American to head the civil-rights division, is the latest in what Sen. Edward Kennedy calls a mass exodus from the department in the wake of a widely publicized congressional investigation about the politicization of the department under President Bush's administration. The office has been criticized for replacing attorneys experienced in civil-rights law with those who abide by the politics of the GOP. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez defends Kim's record. Who will be next to leave? Watch DiversityInc.com Monday for an analysis by a national commentator on what's really going on. Read more.

Kim isn't the only Department of Justice official in the news. (See also: Bush Nominee for EEOC Bitterly Withdraws)

How LGBT-Friendly Is Giuliani?

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, now the frontrunner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, has a historic record of supporting LGBT rights, a record that has drawn him some criticism from conservative GOP members. But a recent YouTube video created by a New York writer, theater director and part-time political activist challenges public perception about Giuliani's "LGBT-friendly" reputation. The 52-second video features three young gay actors who sarcastically applaud Giuliani's domestic-partner plan in New York City and exposes a perceived disconnect between Giuliani's past stance on LGBT issues and what he says on the campaign trail. Read more. 

A DiversityInc investigation found that of eight major presidential candidates, including five Democrats and three Republicans, Giuliani is the only one with an all-white campaign staff. Whose presidential campaign is best for diversity? Find out the answer to that question, and learn about all the major candidates' positions on issues important to DiversityInc readers, in the June 2007 issue of DiversityInc magazine.

(See also: Is Giuliani a Racist? Why Blacks and Whites View Him Differently)

Klansman Faces Justice for 1964 Murders

After 43 years, a reputed Klansman implicated in the abduction and killings of two black teenagers in Mississippi will be brought to justice. James Ford Seale was sentenced Friday to three life terms in prison for his role in the murders, bringing closure to surviving family members of the victims and members of the public who remember when it all started. The Seale case is one of about a dozen decades-old civil-rights cases re-opened by federal officials. Read more.

Ex-Astronaut Lisa Nowak Back in Court

Former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak made national headlines in February for allegedly attacking a female astronaut she perceived as a roadblock to her efforts to woo astronaut William Oefelien. Now Nowak's back in court. She wants permission to stop wearing a court-prescribed electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, which she says cuts into her ankle, messes up her military boot laces, interferes with her exercise regimen and requires far too many battery changes. Nowak promises to abide by all court orders, which entail staying away from Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman, the astronaut Nowak allegedly pepper-sprayed in an airport parking lot and tried to kidnap for getting in the way of her romantic pursuits. Shipman isn't going for it--but will the judge?

(See also: Astronaut Workplace Obsession: 7 Ways Your Office Can Avoid This Problem)

Can Congress Clean Up Subprime Mess?

Congress is taking action. House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank, a Democrat, is pressing a series of initiatives that would reform some lending practices and help financially disadvantaged homeowners stay above water by applying the same standards to mortgage lenders that apply to banks. Subprime lenders get away with charging some buyers high interest rates on loans because poor credit histories make them ineligible for bank loans, leaving them with a lack of options. Unfortunately, this process often results in foreclosures and a loss of customers for the lenders. Other changes would minimize risk for subprime buyers and strengthen the struggling mortgage market. The Senate is considering a $100-million appropriation to nonprofits to help struggling buyers refinance their mortgages or get new ones. Both the House and the Senate are preparing to hold oversight hearings on how the mortgage mess got so out of hand. Read more.

(See also: Subprime Mortgage Mess: The Diversity Link and Congress Pushes Financial-Services Industry to Recruit People of Color, Women)

Officials Won't Stop Immigration Raids for Census

Immigration officials stopped undocumented-immigration raids prior to and after the 2000 census, which includes both documented and undocumented immigrants, to ensure a more accurate count. But amid increasing pressure to control the border and heighten immigration-law enforcement, they won't do it again in 2000. The Census Bureau, which has not yet formerly asked federal officials to suspend the raids, says it will rely on trusted community organizations to encourage people to "step out of the shadows" and be counted. How will this impact Census 2010? Read more. 

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