People on social networking are calling for the resignation of NFL
commissioner, Roger Goodell, over the handling of the Ray Rice
domestic violence scandal. Despite Goodell's denials this month, it has been
revealed, law enforcement sent the NFL the full video of former
Baltimore Raven, Ray Rice, 27, punching out his girlfriend, now wife,
Janay Palmer, in
an Atlantic City hotel elevator on February 15, 2014. Rice, born
Raymell Mourice Rice, married Palmer on March 28, 2014.
The original excerpt of the elevator video released to the public by
bribe issuing website TMZ, for increased site views and ad sales, showed Rice
dragging his then unconscious girlfriend out of the elevator and
deliberately dropping her
on the floor in a dismissive manner. The video excerpt was enough to
merit a two game suspension from the NFL and criminal charges that
resulted in a "supervised counseling" order from the court.
However, the full tape released by TMZ on September 8, 2014, reveals
what transpired before Rice dragged Janay out of the elevator. Janay
slapped him inn the face, then Ray didn't hesitating in spitting on,
pushing, then punching her in the face. The forceful blow led to his
girlfriend hitting her head on a handrail in the elevator and
falling to the floor unconscious.
Neither one of them should have been slapping or punching each
other, but his reaction was extreme, dangerous and very violent.
Then, with contempt, he dragged her out of the elevator and threw
her to the floor like a bag of garbage. It was terrible watching the
video.
Janay and Ray Rice
The NFL was put on the hot seat yesterday when an unnamed law
enforcement official went to the high profile Associated Press and
contradicted Goodell's recent denials in a CBS interview, stating
the NFL had not seen the full video, prior to it being released to
the public this month.
The aforementioned law enforcement official played a 12-second voice
mail for the Associated Press, informing the news gathering
organization said official had submitted the full video to the NFL
3-months ago, giving them time to view it in its entirety, before
deciding on Rice's punishment. The voice mail reveals a female NFL
employee stating they have received the full video and upon viewing
it, "You're right. It's terrible."
The NFL continues to deny they saw the full video before it was made
public this month. A statement was issued yesterday by NFL
representative, Brian McCarthy, who stated, "We have no knowledge of
this. We are not aware of anyone in our office who possessed or saw
the video before it was made public on Monday. We will look into
it."
Roger Goodell
TMZ previously engaged in bribery to unlawfully obtain police photos
of singer Rihanna, after a domestic violence dispute. TMZ also issued a bribe
to obtain footage of singer Solange Knowles, beating up her
brother-in-law, rapper Jay Z, for cheating on her sister, Beyonce,
with Rihanna and other women.
