Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens has been charged for assaulting his fiancée, Janay Palmer, on February 15, 2014. In a report by Yahoo! Sports, the attack happened in an elevator at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where Rice hit and knocked out Palmer. A security video clip showed an unconscious Palmer being dragged out of the elevator by her fiancée after the altercation.
The grand jury indicted Rice on one count of third-degree aggravated assault, a more serious offense on March 27, 2014. Initially, both Rice and his fiancée were charged only with simple assault-domestic violence. The formal indictment read "attempting to cause significant bodily injury, and/or purposely or knowingly causing such injury and/or recklessly causing such injury under extreme indifference to the value of human life." The complaint against Palmer was subsequently dismissed. The indictment means that the Ravens running back may be serving sentence for three to five years.
Michael Diamondstein, lawyer for Rice, said that there was no criminal offense during the incident. Rice denied the complaint against him. Diamondstein said that the couple is already doing well and undergoing counseling sessions back in their home in Reistertown, Baltimore.
The Baltimore Ravens commented that there is more to Ray Rice, so he should not be discriminated for the lone incident, according to NFL.com.
CBS Sports also reported that Steve Bisciotti, owner of the Ravens, already talked to Rice on March 23, 2014 and said that Rice will surely be returning with the team for the 2014 season. The team said, "This is a part of the due process for Ray." Ozzie Newsome, general manager of the Ravens, as well as Rice's teammates forwarded their support.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked whether Rice would be suspended. He answered that he currently does not have any schedule and it would be premature to act on the matter now, since the federal authorities are still working on the case.
We have here a video clip of the said incident in the elevator.
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