Veteran Saints Linebacker Jonathan Vilma sues Commissioner Roger Goodell for making false statements, ruining his reputation, and hindering his livlihood. The claim states that Goodell relied on circumstantial evidence, hearsay, and lies regarding the comments that he made about Vilma in the discussions of the NFL's bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints. The Commissioner has stated that Vilma was the leader of the bounty team and that he has put up thousands of dollars for the hits that took out the opposing teams' star players from 2009, which was Superbowl year all the way until 2011. There were $10,000 payments for each hit on then quarterbacks Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals and Brett Favre or the Minnisotta Vikings in the playoffs of 2010.
Vilmer's filing has not been reviewed yet according to NFL Spokesperson Greg Aiello. He also stated that their main consideration is their committment to the integrity of the game and player safety. He also stated that they realize that everyone is not going to agree with the decisions that they have made. The NFL also hired former federal prosecutor Mary Jo White late last year to review the evidence provided in the case. She states that the evidence is corroborated by documentation as well as independent witnesses. The lawsuit is expected to be heard by Judge Ginger Berrigan. Vilma is asking for unspecified monetary damages, punitive damages, and attorneys fees. Stay tuned for more on this story.
No comments:
Post a Comment