New Orleans clergy abuse: Lawyer says claims that Saints emails protected by court order have no basis

Saints attorney maintains disclosure of messages showing team execs' aid in softening media coverage was violation'

An attorney whose lawsuit discovered the existence of emails showing how top executives at the NFL's Saints and NBA's Pelicans tried to help New Orleans' Roman Catholic archdiocese soften critical news coverage about the church's management of a clergy-abuse scandal has challenged the sports teams' assertions that the communications were protected by a court order.

Nonetheless, an attorney for the Saints on Tuesday issued a statement doubling down on his position that the material's disclosure to the press was a violation of [a] court order protecting them".