New Orleans Saints LB Jonathan Vilma files another lawsuit against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell
New Orleans Saints linebacker, Jonathan Vilma, has launched another lawsuit against National Football League (NFL) commissioner, Roger Goodell, on Saturday, as his battle with the commissioner over the season long punishment handed down to him continues.
This is the second lawsuit Vilma has filed in a federal court against the commissioner.
According to ESPN, the latest lawsuit contends that Goodell has not made a timely decision on the appeals hearings conducted on June 18 and he has undermined the commissioner’s office by basing the suspensions handed down on flawed and incomplete
evidence.
The linebacker’s suit stated:
"The NFL's alteration of other documents evidences that the NFL cannot substantiate the suspension, and undermines the integrity of the process,"
Vilma also asks the court to deliver a temporary restraining order which would allow him to continue playing should the commissioner refuse to rescind the suspensions.
This is not the first time Vilma has taken the bounty punishments to court.
In his first lawsuit filed in May, Vilma alleged that statements made by Goodell about the bounty punishments to the media have defamed his name and he seeks unspecified monetary damages from the commissioner.
NFL spokesman, Greg Aiello responded to the filing of the lawsuit by saying:
"We have not yet had an opportunity to review Mr. Vilma's improper effort to litigate a matter that is committed to a collectively bargained process.”
Adding further he said:
"There is no basis for asking a federal court to substitute its judgment for the procedures agreed upon by the NFL and NFLPA, procedures that have been in place, and have served the game well, for decades."
According to the lawsuit, Vilma stated that Goodell has had ample time to reach a decision after the filing of the appeals since the players refused to argue their cases.
Vilma as yet remains suspended for the entirety of the 2012 season for his role in the bounty scandal. He is one of two current New Orleans Saints players suspended by the league in addition to two former Saints players who now play for different franchises.
More developments over this latest addition to the bounty scandal saga is expected in the coming days.
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