After two days and nearly sixteen hours of testimony in the offices of former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones, Ray Rice’s appeal hearing to his indefinite suspension from the league has ended.
The second and final day of the hearing included testimony from Rice, his wife Janay Palmer, and Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, after a first day of almost ten hours of testimoney, including more than two by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell was not present at the hearing on Thursday, according to NFL.com, which states the arguments both sides have made:
The basis of Rice’s argument, per (NFL Media reporter Judy) Battista, is that he was subjected to double jeopardy when the league indefinitely suspended him (after originally banning him for two games). Rice believes that the NFL received no new information when the video became public — and that Goodell knew what happened.
“(Rice’s legal team is) saying Ray Rice was candid in what he told the Commissioner when he met with him during the offseason,” Battista told NFL Network. “Of course, the Commissioner has said that Ray Rice’s version of events then was ambiguous.
“So the crux of this appeal is, what did the Commissioner know? What did he understand Ray Rice was saying to him? And was it unfair for the league to go back and suspend Ray Rice a second time indefinitely?”
Former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones will hear and decide the appeal.
The NFL Players Association released a statement on Thursday thanking Jones for “presiding over a fair and thorough hearing” , and that the appeal, which is being “presided over by a neutral arbitrator” (Jones), “is the due process that every athlete deserves”.
“This is the first time in the history of our League that a disciplinary hearing has been conducted pursuant to a joint agreement on a neutral arbitrator,” the statement said in part. “We commend NFL owners and officials for the wisdom of this decision which enhances the credibility and integrity of our business. The collectively bargained rights of all players must be vehemently preserved and we take that obligation seriously.”
Jones has not given any sort of timetable publicly of when she will make her ruling in the case.
Update: November 28, 3:05 p.m. ET:
Ray Rice has won his appeal hearing, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and is free to sign with any NFL team.
Ray Rice has won his appeal, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 28, 2014
Judge believes Ray Rice did not lie.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 28, 2014
So Ray Rice is now immediately reinstated and can sign with any team any time.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 28, 2014
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