Criminal law, Media, Society

Report: NFL Knew In April of Video After Law Enforcement Officer Sent Copy To NFL Official

ray-rice-punch-ap_296The scandal surrounding former Ravens running back Ray Rice has continued to deepen this week after his release by the Ravens for punching his now-wife in the face in an infamous elevator video. First, a longer version of the video was released. Then, the Associated Press has reported that not only was a league executive shown the video in April (long before what the NFL claimed in the wake of the scandal) but that the video was sent by a law enforcement official.

The AP says that a “law enforcement official” had a short voice mail on April 9th from a NFL official thanking him for a copy of the video and she notes on the recorded message that “You’re right. It’s terrible.”

250px-RayRice27That message would certainly suggest that the denial of knowledge before last Monday is questionable and adds to the controversy over the response of the NFL and Roger Goodell. However, I am more concerned about a law enforcement officer leaking a video to a private party anonymously. Since when does law enforcement collect evidence and then, in a non-public way, throw the evidence over a transom. There has been a long complaint over such leaks from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies designed to punish or pressure individuals.

The NFL announced that former FBI Director Robert Mueller will lead an independent inquiry into the league’s investigation. However, there has been no discussion about the authority or propriety of a law enforcement agent leaking this type of evidence. According to the AP, the officer insisted on anonymity and played the recording. Thus, you have a law enforcement officer who sends evidence to a private party and then gives a recording of that party to the press. It is all clearly calculated to punish Rice, the Ravens and/or the NFL.

I respect the AP’s work on this story, which is terrific. I also believe in the protection of such sources. However, there are legitimate concerns about what law enforcement office was responsible for leaking evidence against an individual for such purposes. There is no indication that the video was sent as part of a criminal investigation or why the NFL would be included in such a distribution. Indeed, it is not clear what office of law enforcement was involved. We do know that the Atlantic City police had reviewed surveillance footage in its investigation.

In the meantime, Atlantic County Prosecutor James McClain has denied special treatment for Rice who was able to enroll in a special treatment program despite his knocking his future wife unconscious and dragging her out of the elevator. As a first offender, he was given the alternative to jail — the same opportunity that other defendants have been accorded.

Source: CNN

112 thoughts on “Report: NFL Knew In April of Video After Law Enforcement Officer Sent Copy To NFL Official”

  3. Pingback: NFL, U.S. Have Violence against Women Problem | Nel's New Day

  7. Karen, You’re welcome. Adrian Peterson was just indicted for child abuse, CONDI CONDI CONDI CONDI! She has always said she would love the job, and she is perfect now.

  11. John…I am certainly no expert on DEW (Direct Energy Weapons) development and utilization. DARPA keeps that stuff quite under wraps. My experience is military, however, and to my knowledge the airborne version of a DEW device that could do structural damage was the Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser, which did not take off until July 2002. And at that the damages it could inflict were nothing like “dustify” or “disintegrate”, but to physically interrupt ballistic missiles in boast phase..e.g., cause obvious physical damage to the exterior as well as the interior. The military has other DEW devices both for antipersonnel use and use against lightly armored vehicles. None fit the narrative ascribed to some secret weapon that eviscerated the WTC’s structural components that would allow them to still stand for over an hour before collapse.

    I do agree, however, that is always prudent to be skeptical.

  12. PCS, One can never be sure; know what to believe. Counterintelligence put out this spoiler – a theory on use of a “new “weapon” to “dustify” the Towers designed to mitigate the claims of the 2200 architects/engineers. Intelligence is prepared to react to counterintelligence as they did in JFK with hundreds of “JFK conspiracy” books. Obfuscation is highly effective especially when addressing the “low-information voter.” Like the octopus, you screen, you muddy the waters so that people can’t see the truth. See http://www.globalbem.com for more information
    If you want more details, find out the best place to get Dr Judy Wood’s Book “Where Did The Towers Go” Obtain a copy of 2-hour presentation on DVD (further videos available free online)
    http://www.gaiamtv.com/video/dr-judy-wood-truth-about-911
    Dr. Judy Wood earned a Ph.D. Degree from Virginia Tech and is a former professor of mechanical engineering. In the time since 9/11/01, Dr. Wood has conducted a comprehensive forensic investigation of what physically happened to the World Trade Center site on 9/11.
    gaiamtv.com/video/dr-judy-wood-truth-about-911

    1. John,

      You might not have been aware but WordPress only allows on two hyperlinks per comment. I dereferenced the last one so that it posts and restored it.

      If you would like to provide more than two links, you can add additional comments to facilitate this.

    2. John – Popular Mechanics also did a through investigation and found there to be no conspiracy and everything fit with two airplanes hitting the Towers.

  13. Paul … I worked with multiple engineers, all structural civil or mechanical types, following 9/11 and subsequent analysis, including the involved slurry walls, and none of them thought a controlled demolition was possible…mainly because those of us who have worked with such explosive events, and placing of charges, know there are preparations required that could not be done in an active building full of people. So you are correct…the “Truthers” cannot get past that simple matter.

    1. Aridog – one engineer said that to do the ‘controlled demolition’ would require technicians to secretly prepare the structure. With a normal team it would take at least 100 days of secret work. That was just for preparing the beams.

  14. I am amused by the whole Rice/NFL/Ravens fandango. She hit him, he hit her harder, and both are unhappy at the loss of that rumored $25 Million contract. Both are idiots, but lets be honest, this is all about the money for Rice and his bride. So sad. Ppbbfffttt!

  15. rcocean, Screw the economy and ME! They have all other problems solved. This is the priority. ZERO TOLERANCE!

  16. I would like to see all those protestors who march up and down West Florissant Avenue on the border of Ferguson and Jennings, stand up for the wifey poo here and demand that this guy be indicted by a Grand Jury and then convicted. We have race discrimination and we have sex discrimination. So the black females out there ought to stand up for this woman and demand that Rice go to jail and not pass go. And when Rice wife comes home at night and enters the home she should put her hands up and say: Hands Up! Don’t Punch!

    Is it not racist for all this animosity in Ferguson to be directed only at some white cop when we have this sex offender out here in Riceland beating up his wife? Or wife to be?

  17. “Apparently 16 female senators have issued a statement calling for zero tolerance for domestic violence in the NFL”

    Nice they have time for the important stuff. Wonder what they think of Obama and the Middle East or the economy?

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