NFL Attorneys Reassert Judge Should Be Removed From Vick Case

By Jay Weiner, Correspondent

Attorneys for the NFL Management Council (NFLMC) have reasserted that U.S. District Court Judge David Doty should remove himself from league labor matters. NFLMC attorney Gregg Levy wrote in documents filed Wednesday in Minneapolis that Doty’s decision last month that suspended Falcons QB Michael Vick can keep most of his $20M signing bonus should be set aside. Doty has long overseen NFL labor matters, but he overturned the opinion of Special Master Stephen Burbank in the Vick case. Burbank said Vick, now in prison, must return his bonuses. Doty disagreed, triggering the NFL’s legal offensive. The league also wrote that Doty has met with NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw without league reps present. Levy wrote, "The appearance of partiality tainted the Court's ruling regarding Michael Vick." Doty must now decide if there should be a hearing on these matters, and whether to remain on the case.