BALTIMORE, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Seven months after video surfaced of Ravens running back Ray Rice dragging his unconscious fiancee out of an elevator in an Atlantic City casino, gossip website TMZ has obtained security footage of the entire incident showing Rice twice striking Janay Palmer in the head.
The couple wed just under two months after the incident and in May they held a joint press conference where, to the outrage of victims advocate groups, Palmer said some of the blame belonged to her.
Rice was subsequently suspended for two games, drawing crticism for the soft punishment compared to offenses for recreational drug use and other conduct violations. Pro bowl Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon will miss the entire 2014 season for twice testing positive for small amounts of marijuana, and Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker is suspended until Week 5 for allegedly taking MDMA at the Kentucky Derby.
NFL Commissioner Roger admitted he made a mistake with Rice's suspension telling league owners in a letter, "I didn't get it right.
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"In spite of our best efforts, we fall short of our goals. We clearly did so in response to a recent incident of domestic violence ... My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many of our families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values ... Simply put, we have to do better and we will."
TMZ reports that hotel employees showed the NFL the full footage before before issuing Rice's suspension.
