Judge Richard Berman says he has no regrets about ruling in Tom Brady's favor during Deflategate. Just don't ask him to sign anything commemorating the most important court ruling in Patriots' history.
The senior district judge declined a request recently to sign Sports Illustrated's 2015 Deflategate cover, out of fear it could violate the judicial code of conduct, per Law 360's Chris Villani. In a letter filed with the court this week, Judge Berman explains why he doesn't want to sign the magazine, while reaffirming his ruling.
Federal Judge Richard Berman declined a request made by a fan to sign a copy of the 2015 #Deflategate Sports Illustrated cover and, in a letter filed this week, said "I remain confident" in the decision to overturn Tom Brady's 4-game suspension pic.twitter.com/hIYeZnIWuz
— Chris Villani (@ChrisVillani44) July 24, 2018Berman, of course, overturned Brady's four-game Deflategate suspension in September 2015. The ban was reinstated by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals the following spring.
In his ruling, Berman says Roger Goodell's decision to suspend Brady was based on "several legal deficiencies," including inadequate notice and denial of the opportunity for Brady to interview one of the two lead investigators of the case. Berman's judicial colleagues on the Second Circuit disagreed, citing Goodell's wide-ranging disciplinary powers.
Shortly after the decision, Berman was spotted hobnobbing at a Hamptons cocktail party with Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Perhaps that episode played a role in Berman's decision to withhold his argument from the SI cover.
Still, when the Deflategate story gets written, there's no doubt Berman will have a starring role.
