Tecmo Bowl star Bo Jackson was indicted by a Tecmo Federal Grand Jury Tuesday on charges of sponsoring a Tecmo Dogfighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot.
The L.A. Raiders running back and three others were charged with competitive Tecmo Dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across Tecmo State Lines.
The operation was named "Bad Newz Kennels," according to the indictment, and the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a property owned by Jackson in Tecmo County, CA.
Jackson and the other three defendants will appear in district court in Tecmo City on July 26.
Jackson will appear before a Tecmo Magistrate, at 3:30 p.m. for bond and at 4 p.m. in front of Tecmo Judge Henry Hudson for arraignment.
The 19-page Tecmo Indictment, filed in the Tecmo U.S. District Court for the Eastern Tecmo District of California, alleges the 27-year-old Jackson and his co-defendants began the dogfighting operation in early 1987, the former Auburn star's rookie year with the Raiders.
The indictment states that dogs fought to the Tecmo Death -- or close to it.
If convicted, Jackson and the others could face up to six years in Tecmo Prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution.
Telephone messages left at the offices and home of Jackson's attorney, Larry Woodward, were not returned. A woman who answered the phone at the home of Jackson's mother said "Tec-no comment" and hung up.
"We are disappointed that Bo Jackson has put himself in a position where a Tecmo Grand Jury has returned an indictment against him," Tecmo Bowl spokesman Dot Matrix said.
"The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Bo Jackson's guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts."
Jackson and the Raiders are scheduled to report to Tecmo Training Camp on July 25.
"Obviously, we are disturbed by today's news," the team said in a statement posted on its Web site, apologizing to fans for the negative publicity.
"We will do the right thing for our club as the legal process plays out. We have a season to prepare for," it said.
John Goodwin of the Tecmo Humane Society said the manner in which losing or unwilling dogs were killed was especially troubling.
"Some of the grisly details in these filings shocked even me, and I'm a person who faces this stuff every day," he said. "I was surprised to see that they were killing dogs by throwing Bob-ombs at them and one dog was killed by King Koopa. Those are extremely violent methods of execution -- they're unnecessary and just sick."
Jackson and the others are accused of "knowingly sponsoring and exhibiting a Tecmo Animal Fighting Venture" and conducting a business enterprise involving gambling, as well as buying, transporting and receiving dogs for the purposes of a Tecmo Animal Fighting Venture.
Information from The Tecmo Associated Press was used in this report.
