The backlash on social media had been swift against the NFL and (now former) Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was seen punching out his then-fiancee in a Feb. 15 video released Monday by TMZ.
The video shows Mr. Rice and Janay Palmer, who have married since the altercation, getting into an elevator at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Mrs. Palmer approaches Mr. Rice, who knocks her out with a punch to the chin. He then drags Palmer’s unconscious body into the hallway, where they are met by a security guard.
The Ravens announced they “terminated” Mr. Rice’s contract mid-afternoon amid all the outcry over the revelation of the new video.
TMZ had posted video of Rice dragging Palmer out of the elevator, but Monday was the first time footage of inside the elevator was released, the New York Daily News reported. The NFL said Monday was the first time the league saw the second video, despite reports to the contrary.
“We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator,” the league said in a statement. “That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”
SEE ALSO: Ray Rice: New video shows shocking moment he delivered punch to fiancee Janay Palmer
Football players, celebrities and media personalities were quick to condemn Mr. Rice and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who gave Rice a two-game suspension for the earlier video.
“That man should be thrown out the the nfl and thrown into jail. Shame on those deciding his punishment. Smh,” tweeted Denver Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.
“As players we always speak on how we are unfairly treated, well now what?” he continued. “As players we must speak up. Stand up for what’s right. I don’t give a damn who u are or how much money you make. No place for this.”
Former linebacker Scott Fujita, a former vice president of the NFLPA’s executive committee, tweeted: “I’m glad no one this morning seems to care about yesterday’s games. This piece of [expletive] needs to be out of the league. Period.”
Actor Seth Rogen agreed that Rice should be banned from the NFL.
“I don’t know much about football, but I know that Ray Rice is a piece of garbage who shouldn’t be allowed to play it professionally anymore,” he tweeted.
In a tweet directed to the NFL commissioner, Mr. Rogen wrote: “Your punishment for beating a woman is less than for smoking weed. Get your head out of your [expletive] ass.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter called the Rice video “beyond disturbing and stomach turning.”
But not everyone is condemning Rice. MTV “Fantasy Factory” star Big Black, aka Christopher Boykin, came to the player’s defense, arguing that if Palmer forgave Rice, America should too.
“She married him move on,” he tweeted to ESPN’s Michelle Beadle. “Had she hired Mayweather’s ex attorney & stood her ground this would be news but she didn’t she supported & married him.”
Miss Beadle fired back saying, “Sadly, yes she did. And her reasons are probably sound in her mind. Probably used to it. Doesn’t matter to me though. Criminal,” TMZ reported.
Mr. Rice entered into a pretrial intervention program in May and apologized for the incident alongside his wife in a widely panned press conference later that month.
Mr. Rice is eligible to return for the Ravens’ Sept. 21 game at Cleveland. Mr. Goodell is again “reviewing” the case.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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