NFL suspends Ray Rice indefinitely after new video shows Ravens player punching fiancee
Ray Rice. Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock.com
Updated: Criticized over a two-game suspension imposed on Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice concerning a fight with his then-fiancee, the National Football League’s top executive admitted he “didn’t get it right” and last month announced a new NFL policy concerning such incidents.
Now the NFL has revisited the issue of Rice’s punishment for the February fight, shortly after a video of the incident was newly made public by TMZ Sports. It seems to show Rice landing a punch inside an Atlantic City casino elevator on the chin of the woman to whom he is now married, then pulling her unconscious from the elevator when it reaches his floor. She appeared to hit her head on an elevator handrail as she dropped to the floor, TMZ Sports said.
The league suspended Rice indefinitely on Monday, and the Ravens announced Monday that his contract has been terminated, according to Around the NFL and the Baltimore Sun.
The release of the video, just as the NFL season is beginning, sparked calls by columnists for the Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated, among others, for Goodell to reconsider his handling of the Ray Rice incident and increase the NFL punishment imposed on the Ravens player.
In a written statement provided earlier to the New York Daily News and the Washington Post (reg. req.), the NFL said it had not previously seen the video.
“We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator,” the statement explains. “That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”
Rice, who had no prior criminal record, was charged in the Atlantic City incident and pleaded not guilty to third-degree aggravated assault. If he successfully completes a pretrial diversionary intervention program for first offenders, the charge will be dropped.
Attorney Andrew Alperstein represented Rice at the time and described the February incident as a “very minor physical altercation” between his client and Janay Palmer.
Updated at 2:15 p.m. to include and accord with Around the NFL and Baltimore Sun information about indefinite suspension and release from team.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “New NFL policy imposes 6-game suspension for domestic or sexual assault, banishment for 2nd offense”
