NFL Players Union May Appeal Ray Rice's Indefinite Suspension
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- New developments in the ongoing Ray Rice saga. The players union left open the possibility it will fight Rice's indefinite suspension from the league.
Investigator Mike Hellgren has more on what the NFL commissioner told the union in a new letter.
In the letter, Commissioner Roger Goodell says the video shows "a starkly different sequence of events" from what Rice and representatives told him at a meeting. But once again, anonymous sources are denying Goodell's version of events.
The players union may appeal Ray Rice's indefinite suspension from the NFL. In a new formal letter to the union, the commissioner says Rice met with him in June and never told him about the punch.
He described that meeting in his exclusive CBS interview.
"When we met with Ray Rice and his representatives, it was ambiguous about what actually happened," Goodell said.
But four sources tell ESPN Rice clearly mentioned the punch: "A fifth source with knowledge of the meeting said Rice only told Goodell he had slapped his fiancee."
"As a man, I can't believe that he saw that video and gave a two-game suspension," said Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti.
The prosecutor in the Rice case, Jim McClain, is breaking his silence. He says there's no way Rice would have ever gone to jail. He told the press of Atlantic City that the attack was not serious enough under New Jersey law to warrant incarceration.
"Just like it is not just or fair to go easier on somebody because of who they are, neither is it fair or just to go heavier on somebody because of who they are. I felt, and still feel, this disposition was appropriate," McClain said.
The prosecutor is critical of the release of the video.
"Every time you click on that video," he said." You are forcing that woman to relive one of the worst days of her life."
Sixteen female senators are now demanding the NFL institute a zero tolerance domestic violence policy.
"Our society has too much of it, and we just can't allow it. So we'll see what the NFL does," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D) California.
The NFL players union has three days to decide whether to appeal. According to several published reports, it is likely they will file a grievance, even without Rice's support.
A new ESPN poll shows 61 percent of those polled do not believe the NFL tried to fully investigate the incident.
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