Quote Originally Posted by pbmax View Post
1. The NFL has on its security roster former FBI, DEA and Homeland Security officials. For years the League has hired ex-FBI to run its security business. They regularly get to look at police reports. By and large, police reports are made public shortly after they are submitted. And this situation is no different. Even the League acknowledges they asked for everything the State Police had but are claiming that the elevator interior video was not turned over. By inference, that means they had all the other material. *

2. Conversation the League has with Rice's attorney/agent: You know, this would go much faster if we had access to ALL the video. Otherwise Ray could be suspended indefinitely until we get to the bottom of this. Can they force him? Nope. But a few million dollars is a lot of leverage.

3. TMZ may not have had the video but here is a list of people who got reports about the content of the video early this summer which, in this case, turned out to be accurate: Chris Mortenson, Peter King, Jane McManus (ESPN), and Adam Schefter. These reports were sourced to the League. The AP today got a longer and higher quality copy of the tapes. A significant number of people, including some eyewitnesses to the argument and aftermath, were privy to details.

4. I don't know why they didn't ask the casino. TMZ has a guy saying the NFL did send people to view it which is the simplest explanation for all subsequent events, but that report lacks detail. I can see the NFL wanting to stick to official sources.

If they want to stick to official sources, then my guess is that they were satisfied someone they trusted got a look at it and the defense attorney, Rice and Palmer agreed on the basic events. If this is indeed the case, then the NFL is incompetent because multiple copies existed of the video, they weren't in control of more copies being made, and they were basing their decision in part on 2nd hand viewing.

They miscalculated that the video was partially exculpatory or, at worst, showed both parties at fault, which was the message the Defense Attorney was sending. That is leaving a HUGE loose end if you are investigating this.


* The League has said in a statement they knew the video existed in the hands of the NJ State Police, which has been denied by the NJ State Police because they cover the only the space devoted to gambling for Atlantic City casinos. The Atlantic City Police would cover the rest of the building's interior.

I agree that was a huge loose end. I think maybe waiting until the ;egal process was over would have been the route to go...(maybe they did, I don't have the timeline in front of me). Once the DA cut a deal there would have been no reason for the defense attorney to withhold it any longer. Then he could have applied all the screws to get that tape and know one way or another.

One other thing, the first leaked video of the tape was public so the NFL didn;t need law ebforcement to turn it over. Thus, I'm not sure what they got from the police.