One of the lesser reported aspects of the Ray Rice case has been Rice’s appeal of his indefinite suspension by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Rice’s argument in this appeal is that under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement between the players and the league, a player cannot be punished twice for the same infraction. Kind of like a union version of double jeopardy.
What Goodell and the NFL knew and when did they know is as at the heart of Rice’s argument and if Rice can prove that Goodell did know everything when he first issued the light suspension of two games, then the NFL isn’t allowed to slap Rice with the indefinite suspension.
Goodell and the NFL are claiming, however, they didn’t have all the information they needed to render a verdict initially and the indefinite suspension should stand.
But as Twitchy reported, there is some question if that’s really a true statement:
‘Roger Goodell, call your office’! AP: NFL execs had Ray Rice tape 3 months ago
Well, the judge in the appeal now wants to know the details of exactly what Goodell knew and is ordering the commish and other Ravens executives to testify under oath. This could get entertaining real fast, to say the least:
Per league source, Roger Goodell will testify in the Ray Rice appeal hearing.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 23, 2014
Key remaining question about Goodell testimony is whether Judge Jones will limit the scope of it. Still trying to nail that down.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 23, 2014
Judge Jones requires Goodell to testify in Rice appeal, and Robert Mueller should be very interested in what he says http://t.co/UW3eIKRvlM
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 23, 2014
Robert Muller being the former head of the FBI who was hired to conduct and independent investigation of Goodell and the NFL’s handling of the entire Rice affair.
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The NFL never should have suspended Ray Rice indefinitely. No one was going to sign him. Now, Roger Goodell has to testify. Huge error.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 23, 2014
And this:
The Goodell testimony just got even more interesting; longtime NFL antagonist Jeffrey Kessler will ask the questions http://t.co/oM1uszYWoL
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 23, 2014
More fallout from Wednesday ruling: Ravens G.M. Ozzie Newsome and Ravens president Dick Cass also are required to testify at Rice hearing.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 23, 2014
Holy-moly. Muller must be salivating at the prospect of getting all of these top NFL officials under oath as he conducts his investigation.
The hearing is set for November 5-6 in New York City.
Related:
Reporter finds ‘striking’ number of women wearing Ray Rice jerseys
Scandal over? Ray Rice and wife get ‘warm’ welcome during visit to high school alma mater [photos]
Fake or real? @JanayRice Twitter account appears, defends Ray Rice
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