Posted on 09/10/2014 7:00:10 PM PDT by tobyhill
A law enforcement official says he sent a video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee to an NFL executive five months ago, while league executives have insisted they didn't see the violent images until this week.
The person played The Associated Press 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 law enforcement official, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, says he had no further communication with any NFL employee and can't confirm anyone watched the video. The person said he was unauthorized to release the video but shared it unsolicited, because he wanted the NFL to have it before deciding on Rice's punishment.
The NFL has repeatedly said it asked for but could not obtain the video of Rice hitting Janay Palmer — who is now his wife — at an Atlantic City casino in February.
The league says it has no record of the video, and no one in the league office had seen it until it was released by TMZ Monday. When asked about the voicemail Wednesday, NFL officials repeated their assertion that no league official had seen the video before Monday.
"We have no knowledge of this," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday. "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."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Who is their spokesperson? Lois Lerner?
This is soooo transparently fake.
when it comes to who to believe - the AP or Goodall - I’ll go with Goodall.
I can’t understand - would the NFL want to protect Ray Rice by trying to bury this?
He’s an OK player, but certainly not indispensable to his team and especially not to the league or its reputation.
His hard drive crashed just before he could watch it. He also had his blackberry wiped and recycled at the time. Several other NFL execs experienced hard drive crashed during the same time frame preventing them from viewing the video.
I was thinking about who authorized the sending of the video to the NFL and on what grounds when this line caught my eye.... “The person said he was unauthorized to release the video but shared it unsolicited, because he wanted the NFL to have it before deciding on Rice’s punishment.” Does this rationale make sense?
There is likely a pretty “gray” area here. If the NFL did not obtain the video legally, they likely can’t acknowledge they saw it.
Though that still would not excuse a 2 game suspension.
A 2 game suspension seemed about right for a case the prosecutor and the Judge pretty much passed on.
First, it’s Goodell. Second, do you think the AP would just make this up? Third, without having to believe anyone, what makes the most sense? That the NFL, with all their resources, didn’t see the video, or that they did see it?
There’s little doubt in my mind they were able to see the video moments after they knew of the incident.
Roger need to resign
In my view, if the commish had the video and seen it then he should stand by the 2 game suspension. He knew that Rice hit the hell out of his GF and the video just confirms it. The Ravens had every right to cut him loose but Rice should have a chance to play for another team after the two game suspension, IMHO.
I just think it’s hard for the league to give him the death penalty if the judicial system slapped his wrist.
Eric Bolling who is normal pretty conservative must have egg on his face as he stuck his neck out and on a few occasions yesterday was saying Goodell is a stand up guy. It was pretty bad when Kimberly Guilefoyle and Andrea Tantaros were skeptical of Goodell but Bolling was kissing up. I wonder what he will say tomorrow?
I wonder if we will hear cries for Goodell to step down as commissioner?
That said, the NFL is trying plausible deniability.
Yeah, when will this reach the fervor of when everyone was yelling to ban Donald Sterling and demand that he sell his team? Goodell sounds like he is blatantly lying. I hope he goes down with the ship. He's the dope that changed the Pro Bowl to be before the Super Bowl which makes no sense and then changed the rules for no good reason. The Pro Bowl is just a game of flag football with professional players.
It wasn’t to long ago the NFL had a murder, then suiside with the KC Chiefs. Rodger looking to mute the reputational risk from this fallout from in a sweeping generality, one of the league’s top 10 RB’s the past 5 or 6 years.
This guy was a pro bowl player.
Face of a franchise.
Remember, he was judge and executioner of the spygate stuff.
Roger has got to go.
Everyone knew Rice punched her unconscious…right? So what was the surprise with this video that caused the massive freak out? It was more violent than they thought?
What is this really about?
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