Ray Rice cut from Ravens, suspended indefinitely
Ray Rice, the running back for the Baltimore Ravens who has been at the center of a controversy over the National Football League's policies regarding domestic violence, has been cut from the team and suspended indefinitely by the league after video surfaced of Rice knocking his wife unconscious.
Rice's suspension has roots in his Feb. 2014 assault on his then fiancee and now wife, Janay Palmer, in an Atlantic City hotel elevator.
The video that triggered the suspension and removal from the team was released by TMZ, a gossip and celebrity news site. It shows Rice hitting Palmer in the face. As she falls to the ground she also hits her head on a railing in the elevator. Rice then picks her up and drags her out of the elevator. The New York Times reports that Rice was initially charged with assault, but because Palmer refused to testify in court he was only ordered to go through counseling. The harsh punishment follows the announcement of new consequences for NFL employees who are found guilty of domestic violence. Rice was suspended for two games, causing a a public uproar over what many viewed to be too light a punishment. This spurred NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to create a stricter domestic violence policy. The Ravens announced the decision on Twitter. The #Ravens have terminated RB Ray Rice's contract this afternoon. — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 8, 2014
Social media was filled with a wide range of reactions after the news broke. Some supported the decision.
taking a FANTASTIC stand against violence! Ravens terminate Ray Rice’s contract https://t.co/eyEf88isht via @BostonGlobe — Kimberly K. Berg (@psychicfortunes) September 8, 2014
Others wondered why it was still an issue given the fact that Palmer married Rice after the incident.
Getting pissed about this Ray Rice situation. Let him live! They worked it out so why is it still a problem???
— Pj Sanders (@F_A_M_E__ME) September 8, 2014
One person even burned their Rice jersey.
and it begins... the burning of his jerseys... Ray Rice #NFL #Ravens pic.twitter.com/4q2ARcJRD0 — Sports Recall (@SportsRecall) September 8, 2014
