Description
The Supreme Court says an individual can be tried and punished in both state and federal court based on the same act without violating double jeopardy, since the states are considered separate sovereigns from the U.S. national government. Football star Michael Vick got sentenced to prison in federal court for running a dogfighting enterprise. The state of Virginia also prosecuted him for the same exact conduct, since there’s also a state law against it, and if convicted he could get a state sentence to be served consecutively (after he finishes his federal sentence).
Is Virginia right do this?
Is it piling on?
How does dogfighting get to be a federal crime anyway?
What part of the U.S. Constitution gives the feds this
power?
Michael Vick indictment LINK
