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Ravens Release Ray Rice in Wake of Video Showing Punch
The Baltimore Ravens terminated running back Ray Rice’s contract Monday after a new, graphic video emerged of him punching his former fiancée, who is now his wife, in a hotel elevator in Atlantic City in February. The video raises fresh questions about N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of the situation. In July, the N.F.L. suspended Rice for the first two games of this season.
The team, which had not previously disciplined Rice in any public way, made the announcement on its Twitter account Monday afternoon.
TMZ published the video Monday on its website. It showed Rice and his fiancée in the elevator, where Rice punched her. He then dragged her unconscious body from the elevator.
The release of the video triggered outrage against the league and Goodell.
Previously published video of the incident was taken from a camera outside the elevator at a hotel in Atlantic City in February. Rice was charged with felony assault in March, but after Janay Palmer declined to testify against her husband, charges were reduced to court-supervised counseling.
After the episode, the Ravens said on Twitter: Janay Rice says she deeply regrets the role that she played the night of the incident.
Rice, with his wife at his side, apologized publicly. Rice’s coach, John Harbaugh, said he stood by his star running back.
Rice and Palmer also met privately with Goodell, who said he suspended Rice for two games because of his contrition and because the charges against him were dropped.
Goodell’s penalty was immediately and loudly criticized by women’s advocates and even N.F.L. players who said the league was not treating the issue of domestic violence seriously enough. The N.F.L. received hundreds of phone calls in protest, and petitions with tens of thousands of signatures were collected.
Some players said the two-game suspension was too light compared with the full-year suspensions that some players received for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. While Goodell controls suspensions involving violations of the league’s personal conduct policy, he has no say in cases involving recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs. Those penalties were established by the league and the players association.
At the end of August, a month after his initial decision, Goodell reversed course. In a letter to team owners, he said he took responsibility “both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values. I didn’t get it right.”
Goodell said that in the future, any N.F.L. employee, including nonplayers, would be suspended for six games for a first offense of domestic violence and a minimum of a year for a second offense.
The more explicit video, though, raises questions about what information Goodell reviewed before deciding to suspend Rice and whether he took the issue seriously enough. The league has said Goodell took his cue in part from law enforcement officials, who had access to more information than the league.
Brian McCarthy, a spokesman for the N.F.L., said: “We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”
But several reporters, including Peter King of Sports Illustrated in July, have reported that officials from the N.F.L. and the Ravens had seen the more graphic video from inside the elevator.
Michael Diamondstein, a lawyer who represents Rice, declined to comment.
The N.F.L. has security personnel who compile their own reports. But Goodell based some of his decision on his interview with Rice and Palmer, and their reaction in the wake of the scandal.
“I think what’s important here is that Ray has taken responsibility for this,” Goodell said to reporters in Canton, Ohio, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at the beginning of August. “He’s been accountable for his actions. He recognizes he made a horrible mistake, that it is unacceptable, by his standards and by our standards.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/sports/football/ray-rice-video-shows-punch-and-raises-new-questions-for-nfl.html?_r=0
The team, which had not previously disciplined Rice in any public way, made the announcement on its Twitter account Monday afternoon.
TMZ published the video Monday on its website. It showed Rice and his fiancée in the elevator, where Rice punched her. He then dragged her unconscious body from the elevator.
The release of the video triggered outrage against the league and Goodell.
Previously published video of the incident was taken from a camera outside the elevator at a hotel in Atlantic City in February. Rice was charged with felony assault in March, but after Janay Palmer declined to testify against her husband, charges were reduced to court-supervised counseling.
After the episode, the Ravens said on Twitter: Janay Rice says she deeply regrets the role that she played the night of the incident.
Rice, with his wife at his side, apologized publicly. Rice’s coach, John Harbaugh, said he stood by his star running back.
Rice and Palmer also met privately with Goodell, who said he suspended Rice for two games because of his contrition and because the charges against him were dropped.
Goodell’s penalty was immediately and loudly criticized by women’s advocates and even N.F.L. players who said the league was not treating the issue of domestic violence seriously enough. The N.F.L. received hundreds of phone calls in protest, and petitions with tens of thousands of signatures were collected.
Some players said the two-game suspension was too light compared with the full-year suspensions that some players received for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. While Goodell controls suspensions involving violations of the league’s personal conduct policy, he has no say in cases involving recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs. Those penalties were established by the league and the players association.
At the end of August, a month after his initial decision, Goodell reversed course. In a letter to team owners, he said he took responsibility “both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values. I didn’t get it right.”
Goodell said that in the future, any N.F.L. employee, including nonplayers, would be suspended for six games for a first offense of domestic violence and a minimum of a year for a second offense.
The more explicit video, though, raises questions about what information Goodell reviewed before deciding to suspend Rice and whether he took the issue seriously enough. The league has said Goodell took his cue in part from law enforcement officials, who had access to more information than the league.
Brian McCarthy, a spokesman for the N.F.L., said: “We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”
But several reporters, including Peter King of Sports Illustrated in July, have reported that officials from the N.F.L. and the Ravens had seen the more graphic video from inside the elevator.
Michael Diamondstein, a lawyer who represents Rice, declined to comment.
The N.F.L. has security personnel who compile their own reports. But Goodell based some of his decision on his interview with Rice and Palmer, and their reaction in the wake of the scandal.
“I think what’s important here is that Ray has taken responsibility for this,” Goodell said to reporters in Canton, Ohio, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at the beginning of August. “He’s been accountable for his actions. He recognizes he made a horrible mistake, that it is unacceptable, by his standards and by our standards.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/sports/football/ray-rice-video-shows-punch-and-raises-new-questions-for-nfl.html?_r=0
Hey, I agree !!
I think we are just hearing about it more because it is stressed a lot more in our society. I have no doubt that back in 1970's and 1980's and so on that NFL players hit wife/girlfriend because it happens if you are a redneck on a farm or a high priced lawyer or a athlete. But new laws being passed you can't get away with things like that anymore. No more of the excuse that "she ran into the door", if you have a mark on you then you get arrested. As it should be.
point taken. Maybe I should say it seems to have become more prevelant rather than the number one like I heard it was. Or, maybe its the fact that we hear about all the drug charges rather than the domestics that go on? more of sweeping it under the rug type of thing? I dunno. Either way, I have a strong feeling that this is going to get bigger and boxier than it already is.
Ok but that does not make DM the #1 offense.
But here is the thing DM is an issue not just in the NFL and we are treating it as an NFL problem, it's a problem in society.
But here is the thing DM is an issue not just in the NFL and we are treating it as an NFL problem, it's a problem in society.
drugs are addressed, the dv evidently is not. And if you keep watching, the names and incidents will start rolling out any day. Showing others who have done similar things and not been punished and their will be a demand to know why. Thats my prediction
Ok, but how is it the number 1 offense? It seems like more players get suspended for drugs then DM.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/09/us/nfl-players-domestic-violence-accusations/index.html
a law enforcement official told the Associated Press he sent a video of Rice punching Janay Palmer, now Rice's wife, to an NFL executive five months ago. The law enforcement official also played the AP a 12-second voicemail from an NFL office number on April 9 confirming the video arrived. A female voice expresses thanks and says: "You're right. It's terrible."
The official, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, says the NFL never followed up. The person can't confirm if anyone at the NFL watched the video. The person said he shared the video — which he was unauthorized to release — because he wanted the NFL to have it before deciding on Rice's punishment.
The official, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, says the NFL never followed up. The person can't confirm if anyone at the NFL watched the video. The person said he shared the video — which he was unauthorized to release — because he wanted the NFL to have it before deciding on Rice's punishment.
Where do you get the info that the number one offense is domestic violence?
I have now heard more about this "leak", the state police are still saying they did not give the NFL the video.
I have now heard more about this "leak", the state police are still saying they did not give the NFL the video.
The police office released the video to the NFL back 3 months ago? In fact they have a taped phone conversation where they are talking to someone there verifying that she recd it, saying it is terrible, implying that she saw it?
And guess what the number one offense is in the NFL? Yep, domestic violence....
Listening to the conversation as I type this.
Oh wow, this just gets better and better doesnt it.
And guess what the number one offense is in the NFL? Yep, domestic violence....
Listening to the conversation as I type this.
Oh wow, this just gets better and better doesnt it.
I listened to a long discussion about the subject of NFL violence against women and how the only reason Rice is in the news is that he was caught on video.
We pump these young guys up and send them out to be gladiators on the field. They need to know, that once they are off the field, the violence is over. Only with severe penalties for abusing women will this stop.
We pump these young guys up and send them out to be gladiators on the field. They need to know, that once they are off the field, the violence is over. Only with severe penalties for abusing women will this stop.
Some are now calling for the commissioner's head.
So does everyone else.
It is a social problem not a work problem.
I disagree. He makes his money off of the public. period.
I disagree. He makes his money off of the public. period.
The coach of the team has said that them and the team first saw the video on Monday. We have nothing to go on but what they say. The casino has confirmed that a copy of the tape was provided to the police but not the NFL.
The DA office screwed up and the NFL did not think it was needed to see the tape if the DA was going to let Rice off with a hand slap.
Yes there is laws but no specific policy that was ever in place in the NFL. Just like my company has no policy against domestic violence. It is a social problem not a work problem.
The DA office screwed up and the NFL did not think it was needed to see the tape if the DA was going to let Rice off with a hand slap.
Yes there is laws but no specific policy that was ever in place in the NFL. Just like my company has no policy against domestic violence. It is a social problem not a work problem.
The only thing I will say in the defense of the player, is this....They went from one extreme with the 2 game to firing him altogether. IMO, both are extremes. I do think he should have been given a stiff consequence with a warning of banning if they ever got a hint of it happening again.
But they also have to take into consideration that in they eyes of young people, their players are someone that young people look up to. Which I think went out the window years ago, but that is what they will claim.
But they also have to take into consideration that in they eyes of young people, their players are someone that young people look up to. Which I think went out the window years ago, but that is what they will claim.
Do you really believe that? A casino has more cameras than just about anywhere else other than government buildings. Its common sense, that if this happened in an elevator that there was video of it. She refused to file charges.But the correct way for him to have handled her was to restrain her, and/or call the police and press charges and they would have both been held responsible. Instead he knocked her out cold.
Do you think if that had been his kid it would have been handled in the same way? I dont.
And the NFL? We all know this is more about their bottom line than the incident. They went from one extreme to the other in this.
They have no rules for domestic violence you say? Well we do have laws against it so that is no excuse either.
Not a known issue? Oh come on.......
And I will say this, this woman might want to go stay with her mom for awhile cause Im quite sure Rice will blame her for this too.....And obviously cannot handle his temper without getting physical. Paybacks are hell, and graveyards are full of the proof.
Do you think if that had been his kid it would have been handled in the same way? I dont.
And the NFL? We all know this is more about their bottom line than the incident. They went from one extreme to the other in this.
They have no rules for domestic violence you say? Well we do have laws against it so that is no excuse either.
Not a known issue? Oh come on.......
And I will say this, this woman might want to go stay with her mom for awhile cause Im quite sure Rice will blame her for this too.....And obviously cannot handle his temper without getting physical. Paybacks are hell, and graveyards are full of the proof.
The NFL said they did not see this video, so they went off of the talk they had with Rice, the police report and what his fiance said. Without seeing the video you can not put a good picture together of what happen. After the video everything was done correctly by the Ravens and by the NFL.
Josh Gordon got suspended for 1 year because he tested positive over and over again. They have rules in place, they did not have rules for domestic violence as it has not been a known issue. But like any profession you will always have people who will abuse people and be addicted to drugs. Just because they are athlets does not mean they are not like the rest of us.
I don't see a good chance that Rice plays in the NFL again.
Josh Gordon got suspended for 1 year because he tested positive over and over again. They have rules in place, they did not have rules for domestic violence as it has not been a known issue. But like any profession you will always have people who will abuse people and be addicted to drugs. Just because they are athlets does not mean they are not like the rest of us.
I don't see a good chance that Rice plays in the NFL again.
When you stop and think that they suspend someone for smoking pot, for a year? And this situation for two game suspension? And the only reason they got rid of him is because of how it affects their bottom line? The NFL should be held accountable imo as well as the perp that clocked this woman. Do they not realize that us lowly women contribute much to their sales? And to think a guy that fights dogs gets two years in prison and this clearly shows how low domestic violence against women is on their radar screen imo. And what I got from the video is that it seems this is not a first incident for this guy. He was waay to comfortable with it, it seems to me.
That was one of the most violent things I've ever seen. Their (NFL) current drug policy is more strict than any policy they have regarding things like this. Hopefully that changes in a very big way.
Yep.
(CNN) -- [Breaking news update, published 2:53 p.m. ET]
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday suspended running back Ray Rice indefinitely after a new video surfaced that shows the player punching his future wife in an elevator in February, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on Twitter. The incident had originally led Goodell to suspend Rice for the first two games of the regular season.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/08/us/ray-rice-new-video/index.html
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday suspended running back Ray Rice indefinitely after a new video surfaced that shows the player punching his future wife in an elevator in February, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on Twitter. The incident had originally led Goodell to suspend Rice for the first two games of the regular season.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/08/us/ray-rice-new-video/index.html
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