Ravens release Ray Rice after video of punching fiancee surfaces

Sept 8, 2014

Warning: The video is graphic.

The Baltimore Ravens have terminated the contract of star running back Ray Rice hours after TMZ obtained and released the video showing Ray Rice striking his then-fiancee Janay Palmer twice inside the elevator of an Atlantic City casino.

The NFL also took action, suspending Rice indefinitely.

The Feb. 15 incident inside the Revel Hotel and Casino, which closed Sept. 2., drew national attention when the video of Rice dragging Palmer, now his wife, from the elevator. This is first view inside the elevator.

The video shows the couple entering the elevator in a heated argument. Once inside Rice strikes Palmer once, she hits back and then Rice hits her again and she falls unconscious.

The 27-year-old Rice was charged with felony aggravated assault in the case, but in May he was accepted into a pretrial intervention program that allowed him to avoid jail time. Since the incident, the couple have married and Rice has undergone counseling. Rice's lawyer, Michael Diamondstein, would not comment to The Associated Press.

Rice has publicly apologized for the incident and called his actions "inexcusable."

TMZ reported the NFL had seen the video before commissioner Roger Goodell issued Rice a two-game suspension to start the season. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, however, says the latest video was not made available to the league.

Following the Ravens' roster cut, the league announced via Twitter that Rice's new suspension was "based on new video evidence that became available today."

Rice leaves the Ravens as the second-leading rusher in franchise history, behind only Jamal Lewis. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Rice is the team's career leader in total yards from scrimmage (9,214) and is the only player in Ravens history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

Since Rice's initial suspension, the NFL updated its domestic abuse policy calling for a minimum six-game suspension for a first offense, and a lifetime ban for any following incident.

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Ravens release Ray Rice after video of punching fiancee surfaces

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