Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has pleaded not guilty against charges of assaulting his fiancée, who is now his wife, while at an Atlantic City casino back in February.
The footage TMZ Sports posted shows Rice dragging is unconscious fiancée, 26-year-old Janay Palmer, out of an elevator at the Revel Casino the night before he was arrested for aggravated assault.
USA Today noted that the Atlantic City Police Department have charged both Rice and Palmer with simple assault-domestic violence charges after they were seen on surveillance video striking each other.
“I’m a happy father and a happy husband. That’s what matters,” Rice said to reporters as he made his way to court with his wife by his side.
Rice announced during his court appearance that he will apply for pretrial intervention, a program that allows first-time defendants to avoid prosecution and jail time. If he is eligible, and completes the program successfully, there will be no record of conviction on his criminal record.
If the running back is not accepted into the program, prosecutors have offered him a plea deal, which includes probation with no jail time if he partakes in anger management counseling. Rice has not officially accepted the deal.
Rice’s attorney, Michael Diamondstein, told reporters, “First and foremost, he’s very remorseful for the actions that happened that night. He loves Janay, and he wants to move forward. He thinks it’s best for not only himself, but his family, his job.”
When asked about Rice’s position in the NFL and the Ravens, General Manager Ozzie Newsome said, “We’ll deal with Ray [Rice] when that time comes.” The plan is for Rice to play for the Ravens, although he could be facing suspension from the league under the player conduct policy.
Rice’s next court date is scheduled for May 29th.
