Ray Rice was let go by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely from he NFL after the video documenting a violent display of domestic violence was released. The video plainly shows the running back punching out his then-fiancee in an elevator.
The Video
The grainy video shows Rice and fiancee, now wife, Janay Palmer riding in an elevator in an Atlantic City casino. Both Palmer and Rice hit one another before Rice punches Palmer off her feet and down into the elevator’s railing. A video released prior to this one showed Rice dragging Palmer, from the elevator at the Revel casino.
The Associated Press reported it had viewed a higher-quality version of the video that had been provided to them by a law enforcement official. Rice and Palmer could be heard shouting obscenities at each other in that version of the video. According to the AP, after Palmer collapses, Rice then drags her out of the elevator. Once outside the elevator, the couple is met by a member of the hotel staff who asks, “She’s drunk, right?” And then, “No cops.” Rice does not respond.
Termination
The Ravens said they never saw the new video released by TMZ Sports. But hours later, after seeing it they sent out a one-sentence statement: “The Baltimore Ravens terminated the contract of RB Ray Rice this afternoon.”
Previous Decisions
In July, the NFL suspended Rice for two games for domestic violence. The lack of severity of the punishment received widespread criticism.
“We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. “That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.” The decision was a unanimous one that came following a brief meeting called by franchise owner Steve Bisciotti. According to a close source, that meeting also involved general manager Ozzie Newsome, coach John Harbaugh and team president Dick Cass. “We hadn’t seen the video,” the source said. “The video changes the perspective.”
“The video is really all the information I’ve seen. I did learn on the way over to the facility about Mr. Rice being released, and have not yet talked to Roger [Goodell] about any other discipline,” said executive director of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith said. “I did hear that [Rice had been suspended], but I tend to rely on the Commissioner and learning all the facts first-hand. That’s what we’ll do, and once we know what those facts are, that will dictate our next steps.”
No $$$ for Rice
Rice had three years remaining on his contract with the Ravens. $4 million this season, $3 million next season, and $3 million in 2016. The Ravens will not owe Rice any money as a result of this decision. Rice’s salary-cap number lowers later on this season from $8.75 million to $4.75 million. Next season, Rice would have still been on the Ravens’ cap for $9.5 million of dead money.
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Source: ESPN, Ray Rice cut, then suspended by NFL, September 9, 2014
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