Janay Palmer Ray Rice - H 2014
AP ImagesRay Rice‘s defense strategy appears to hinge on whether the NFL was wrong to use edited footage of his domestic violence incident.
Rice’s legal team will argue that the NFL should not have suspended him based on an cleaned-up version of the elevator security video, according to ESPN. The video that the NFL saw when issuing Rice’s indefinite suspension was the shortened version that TMZ posted.
Former FBI director Robert Mueller, who is leading the NFL’s investigation of how the incident was handled, will reportedly have access to the entire security video.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has come under fire for his initial two-game suspension of Rice, with reports stating that Baltimore Ravens brass knew about the details of Rice beating now-wife Janay Palmer and lobbied the league for a lenient punishment.
The NFL Players Association is appealing Rice’s suspension, arguing that the running back has a right to due process and a hearing.
Email: Ryan.Gajewski@pgmedia.org
Twitter: @_RyanGajewski
