NFL (National Football League) star Michael Vick has been charged with sponsoring a dog fighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback and three others were charged with competitive dog fighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.
The operation, named "Bad Newz Kennels," involved a number of dogs that were housed, trained and fought at a property owned by Vick in Virginia.

It is alleged that Vick and three others began the dogfighting operation in early 2001, and that the dogs fought to the death of close to it.

If convicted, Vick and Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor could face up to six years in prison, $350,000 in fines.