The latest attempt by New Orleans Saints fans to seek legal recourse in the wake of the 2018 NFC championship game has taken a step forward. Judge Nicole Sheppard, of Orleans Parish Civil District Court, has said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and three members of the officiating crew should be present for questioning under oath about the game.
Sheppard said the depositions should occur in September; the NFL may appeal, which could delay or avert the questioning. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 22. The lawsuit was filed by attorney Antonio LeMon.
The Saints lost that game following an officiating error in which Los Angeles Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman committed a helmet-to-helmet hit (for which he was later fined) against Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis but was not penalized for that or defensive pass interference. The reaction from Saints fans has raged throughout the offseason, peaking with protest parades and Super Bowl boycotts. The Rams lost Super Bowl LIII 13-3 to the New England Patriots.
There have been a number of lawsuits by Saints fans, with some looking to force the NFL into retroactively penalizing the Rams and scheduling a rematch, and others hoping to expose a conspiracy that the game was rigged against the Saints — pointing out that some of the officials reside in the Los Angeles area.
Legal experts have been skeptical about these lawsuits’ chances, and one case in federal court has already been thrown out.
