According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice plans to appeal his suspension handed down by commissioner Roger Goodell last week. Rice must file the appeal by 11:59 ET on Tuesday.
Rice was initially handed a two-game suspension for being charged with aggravated assault in the third degree following an alleged domestic violence incident that occurred at the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. A video from the hotel hallway was released on February 19 that showed Rice dragging his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, out of an elevator as she lay unconscious. However, a new one from inside the elevator surfaced on September 8 that showed him striking Palmer twice in the face.
The release of the latest video resulted in the termination of his contract as well as his indefinite suspension. Goodell said the video was alarming because the evidence presented along with Rice's account of the incident was "ambiguous", which is why he only suspended Rice for two games. However, sources said the NFL received the explicit video back on April 9 and that Rice had told Goodell he indeed struck his wife in the elevator, which led to her unconscious state.
"Ray didn't lie to the commissioner," a source with knowledge of the meeting told "Outside the Lines" in this ESPN article. "He told the full truth to Goodell -- he made it clear he had hit her, and he told Goodell he was sorry and that it wouldn't happen again."
"He told the truth," a second source added. "This is a public lynching of Ray."
So now that the NFL has its back against the wall for having to deal with a number of incidents, Rice likely feels he can win the appeal based on what evidence has been unearthed against the league and commissioner Goodell. The league is also dealing with two other prominent domestic violence issues involving Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was also indicted by a grand jury over the weekend on child abuse charges.
And while many continue to point the finger at Goodell and the NFL (which is perfectly reasonable), many are overlooking the court system, which allowed Rice to avoid jail time and enter a pretrial intervention program. If he completes the court-ordered set of requirements, he'll avoid the maximum penalty of three to five years in prison. This type of pretrial intervention program is granted to the accused in less than one percent of all domestic violence cases in the state of New Jersey (based on New Jersey Judiciary date from 2010-2013).
But all the attention is on the NFL because of its power and influence, and Rice's appeal will garner a lot of news this week as will the other cases the NFL is responsible to hand down punishments for.
