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RUSSELL BELIEVES MICHAEL VICK WILL JOIN THE ANIMALS RIGHT MOVEMENT; LAST MINUTE PR SPIN FAILED VICK

"I take full responsibility for my actions and am ashamed that my actions hurt animals and allowed animals to be hurt and killed," Vick wrote. "... Your Honor, I just ask for a second chance."

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback's appeal wasn't enough to overcome Hudson's finding that Vick lied at various times about his hands-on role in helping kill pit bulls and about his marijuana use, which was detected by a drug screening. Hudson cited those lapses in giving Vick a longer sentence than two fellow defendants, who previously were sentenced to 18 months and 21 months.

"Throughout this entire case, I've just tried to be honest," Vick wrote. "Sometimes I didn't know how to be and was scared, but eventually I put everything out on the table and left no stones unturned."

Vick said he's an animal lover but that he grew up in a culture where dogfighting went unpunished while people were arrested for guns or drugs.

Vick's lead attorney, Billy Martin, said in a statement: "Mr. Vick is much more than the caricature some in the media have chosen to portray."

He listed other charitable works by Vick and said the former Virginia Tech star "deserves to be judged on the totality of his actions, not just the latest headlines."

Vick's troubles still are not over. He and his three co-defendants -- Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor -- face state animal cruelty charges in Surry County. Vick's trial is set for April 2.