By: Mara Meerman ~Guest Writer~

A surveillance video documenting events involving National Football League (NFL) all-pro running back Ray Rice formerly of the Baltimore Ravens and his fiancé, Janay Palmer, have surfaced. The video shows Rice and Palmer in an altercation that allegedly left Palmer unconscious.

TMZ was contacted by security staff with video footage that it released on Sept. 8 that shows Rice proceeding to spit in Palmer’s face twice.

Rice then exchanged words that led to him delivering a knockout punch. He proceeded to drag her out of the elevator claiming to security that she had “too much to drink.”

Upon initial review on July 24, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Rice for two games.

On March 27, Rice was indicted by a grand jury on charges of third-degree aggravated assault.

A day later Rice and Palmer were wed. On May 1, Rice pleaded not guilty and applied for pretrial intervention on May 20.

In light of this new video surfacing, the Baltimore Ravens have released Rice.
This video was brought to the attention of ESPN thanks to their investigative team, Outside the Lines.

In response to the indefinite suspsension of Rice, the NFL Players’ Association (NFLPA) filed an appeal. It looks to take the matter out of the commissioner’s hands into those of an independent mediator. The association has had uneasy feelings about how the commsioner handles personal conduct policy.

The NFLPA believes that Goodell was in the wrong for punishing an athlete twice for the same instance.

At the end of the day, Rice’s reputation in the professional sphere is shot.