Within hours of his three-day appeal hearing Ezekiel Elliot, backed by the NFL Players Association, petitioned the U.S. District Court in Texas to issue a stay should league-appointed arbitrator Harold Henderson rule to uphold his suspension. The NFLPA is charging that void of substantial evidence a "league-orchestrated conspiracy by senior NFL executives," has been carried out "to hide critical information which would exonerate Elliott."
In July the league announced that Elliott would be suspended for six games after independent advisers hired by the NFL Special Counsel for Conduct reported that they found "substantial and persuasive evidence" that the Cowboys running back had physically assaulted ex-girlfriend Tiffany Thompson in July of 2016. The NFLPA is now calling the NFL's bluff, claiming that one of the investigators hired to advise counsel brought them findings that were damaging to Thompson's credibility, but she was blocked from laying out her case. Among her points were that Thompson destroyed evidence from her cell phones, repeatedly changed certain accounts from her story, and once attempted to extort Elliot with a sex tape.
Henderson will now take information gathered during the appeal and decide within a week whether or not to lift the suspension. Should he determine that the suspension will stand, the court may now stop the league with going through with it for the time being. The NFLPA has also filed a temporary restraining order in relation to the stay petition. The Player's Association is charging that the appeal process "deprived the union and Elliott of fundamental fairness."
Source: tmz.com
