New Orleans Saints LB Jonathan Vilma's lawyer dismisses leaked bounty ledger - NFL News
Leaks regarding the bounty scandal are coming out almost every day with the latest being an alleged ledger used by the New Orleans Saints to keep a check on the amount being paid to players for making hits during games.
Sources who knew about the ledger, told the Associated Press on Friday, that it contained details of payments made to players involved in the bounty scandal.
According to the leak, plays which resulted in “cart-offs” were paid with $ 1,000 and “whacks” were paid $ 400 with players also being fined around $ 100 for so-called “mental errors”.
The ledger was also stated by the sources to be a significant part of the National Football League’s (NFL) evidence secured against the New Orleans Saints and commissioner, Roger Goodell, made heavy use of the ledger to deliver punishments to the Saints
players.
However, the latest leaked evidence was dismissed by New Orleans Saints linebacker, Jonathan Vilma’s attorney.
Peter Ginsberg who is representing Vilma in the defamation lawsuit against the commissioner as well as taking over the duties for the still to be scheduled appeal against the linebacker’s season long suspension, criticised Goodell’s handling of the Saints
bounty scandal and questioned why no names of any players were given in the leak of the ledger.
In a statement released to the press after the leaking of the ledger, Ginsberg said.
"Commissioner Goodell accuses Saints players of putting money on the head of specific opposing players -- the so-called ledger, as described by the anonymous sources, identifies no players, either Saints or opposing players,"
He went on to add that his client has never been involved in bounty payments and all accusations against his client are false.
"The truth is that Jonathan Vilma gave no money, incentive or encouragement ever -- not at any time in his eight-year career -- to injure or knock out of any game any player with a dirty or unsportsmanlike hit.
The statement continued.
The facts are plain and simple. During the three seasons in question, Jonathan Vilma was one of the least penalized players not only on the Saints, but in the NFL."
No comment from the NFL has been released over Ginsberg’s statement.
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