Vilma moves forward in defamation case v. Goodell - WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Jonathan Vilma has asked a federal judge to allow him to move forward with his defamation case against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

In a motion filed Wednesday, Vilma drops his case against the NFL's disciplinary process, now that his suspension has been lifted. However, he continues to pursue damages from Goodell for harm he alleges was done to his reputation by the NFL's bounty probe of the New Orleans Saints.

In an NFL appeal ruling Tuesday, former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue threw out suspensions for Vilma and three other current and former Saints in connection with the bounty investigation. Tagliabue said the punishment was too heavy-handed, even though he affirmed much of the probe's findings that the Saints, including Vilma, had an improper cash-for-hits program and tried to cover it up.

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