This is disturbing on so many levels. According to Deadspin, the Baltimore Ravens did not reach out to authorities in New Jersey for a police report on the Ray Rice arrest until after TMZ released the video of him beating his then fiancee Janay Palmer.
The Baltimore Ravens did reach out to the Atlantic City Police Department about the Ray Rice investigation—on Sept. 9, a day after TMZ published video showing the team’s running back punching out his then-fiancée in a casino elevator in February. They wanted a copy of the arrest and police reports. The cops complied, sending along documents that had been made public long ago. The Ravens responded by asking for “the actual incident report.” They were handed off to the Atlantic City solicitor’s office, and thus concluded their formal inquiry into the cops’ end of the Rice investigation.
Deadspin asked for (and was granted) communications between the Ravens and authorities in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
According to the site, Ravens security director Darren Sanders sent a request to the authorities back in September.
Here’s Sanders, writing on official Ravens letterhead:
I am writing to you in an attempt to get a copy of the arrest and police reports concerning the Raymell Rice Incident, which took place in February 2014. Mr. Rice and his girlfriend, Janay Palmer, were both arrested for an assault that took place at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City.
I/We, The Baltimore Ravens Football Team, am/are hoping obtain these reports for our records.
Only after the team knew that it was potentially in hot water following the TMZ report did it do anything to demand information from the authorities in New Jersey.
Sadly, this report contradicts a claim by Sanders that indicates he immediately asked for a copy of the video tape (h/t Deadspin).
Within a couple of days, I asked the casino and the Atlantic City Police Department for a copy of any videotape of the incident. They said they could not release a copy of the videotape to me. Some days later—I believe it was on February 25—I spoke to an Atlantic City police official again, asking again whether I could get a copy of the tape or, if not, whether I could come to his New Jersey office and view it. He said I could not, but he did offer to view the tape and describe what he saw.”
It’s just another example of the Ravens not being forthcoming about what they did prior to the tape being released by TMZ. And in all honesty, it shows a pattern of cover ups from within the organization itself.
Let’s see how they will respond to this latest information.
Communications between the Ravens and authorities can be seen below.
ACPD Communication with Ravens
Photo: USA Today