Ravens attempt to disassemble ESPN report, point by point

The Baltimore Ravens have released statements from various employees refuting the ESPN Outside the Lines report that the team was aware of the security footage that showed Ray Rice knocking his then-fiancee Janay Palmer unconscious in an elevator in February.

In the statement released through the team’s website, owner Steve Bisciotti has claimed that ESPN’s sources for the report were members of Rice’s legal team attempting to clear the running back’s name before he makes his case for reinstatement into the NFL. ESPN claims that isn’t true.

Here are other key portions of the report being refuted by the team, followed by the Ravens’ statements. We have bolded portions of the statements for emphasis:

1) Ravens misled NFL and media

The Outside the Lines report claimed that it “found a pattern of misinformation and misdirection employed by the Ravens and the NFL” since Rice’s arrest in February. The report alleges that the team had full knowledge of what occurred within the elevator before a second tape was leaked by TMZ that showed Rice punching his fiancee.

Response from owner Steve Bisciotti:

“As I stated in our letter to you on September 9, we did not do all we should have done, and no amount of explanation can remedy that. But there has been no misdirection or misinformation by the Ravens. We have stated what we knew and what we thought throughout — from the original report of the incident, to the release of the first videotape, to the release of the second videotape, which revealed a much harsher reality. As we said in our response to ESPN’s questions on Friday, it was our understanding based on Ray’s account that in the course of a physical altercation between the two of them he slapped Janay with an open hand, and that she hit her head against the elevator rail or wall as she fell to the ground.”

2) The Ravens had a detailed account of the incident

The report also claimed that Darren Sanders, the Ravens’ head of security, heard a detailed and accurate version of what occurred within the Atlantic City casino elevator from the Atlantic City Police Department, and relayed it to Ravens officials.

Response from Sanders:

”I did not receive an account of what happened in the elevator “within hours” of the incident. 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. (As I understand it, he was describing a raw video, not the “cleaned up,” “smoothed . . . out” version that appeared on TMZ.) He said that Ray and Janay both appeared to be intoxicated, and that they were involved in a heated argument that began outside the elevator and continued inside. As he described it, Janay appeared to initiate the altercation, but they both spit at and struck each other, resulting in Janay falling and hitting her head against the wall railing. The officer could not tell from the video whether Ray slapped or punched her, but Ray told me very clearly that he did not punch her. It was not clear from the officer’s account whether it was being intoxicated, being hit, or hitting her head against the railing that caused Janay’s apparent unconsciousness.”

3) John Harbaugh called for Rice’s release in February

Outside the Lines reported that the Ravens head coach was ready to jettison his running back upon the release of the first video that depicted Rice dragging his fiancee out of an elevator, but was overruled by Ravens executives.

Response from Harbaugh:

“I did not recommend cutting Ray Rice from the team after seeing the first videotape. I was very disturbed by that tape, and I told people that the facts should determine the consequences. When I saw the second videotape, I immediately felt that we needed to release Ray.”

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome:

“Neither John nor anyone else ever recommended cutting Ray Rice before we saw the second videotape on September 8.”

4) Ravens lobbied for leniency

Ravens executives lobbied the Atlantic County judicial system and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for leniency regarding Rice’s impending punishment, according to ESPN.

Response from Ravens president Dick Cass:

“That statement is not true. In February, Darren Sanders made contact with the police and the prosecutor in an effort to obtain a copy of the video. Apart from Darren’s efforts, no one from the Ravens ever spoke or communicated with a prosecutor, a judge or anyone else employed by the judicial system in New Jersey regarding Ray Rice, with one exception. At the request of Ray’s defense lawyer, Ozzie, John and I sent a letter addressed to the Clerk’s office in support of Ray’s application for pretrial intervention. The letter was largely devoted to describing Ray’s extensive efforts in the community. According to the article, our letter was one of 30 such letters.”

5) Ravens tried to suppress video

Per the report, Cass urged Rice’s legal team to get the running back placed in a pretrial intervention program that would help ensure that the video of Rice punching his fiancee would not become public.

Response from Cass:

“I did not urge Ray’s defense attorney to follow any particular course of action. I told his attorney that he should do what he felt was in the best interest of his client. I had never even heard of ‘pretrial intervention’ until Ray’s attorney explained it to me. So yes, I agreed with him that pretrial intervention was in Ray’s best interest. Who wouldn’t? It meant the ultimate dismissal of all criminal claims without a trial and the risk of a guilty verdict. Of course, I did not want a criminal trial because of all the adverse publicity associated with a celebrity trial. But I did not think that pretrial intervention would prevent the video from becoming public. I assumed that would eventually occur in any event.”

6) Goodell gave Rice a lighter punishment as a favor to Bisciotti, who is a good friend

Outside the Lines detailed a strong friendship between Bisciotti and Goodell, centered on talk about golf and rounds at Augusta National.

Response from Bisciotti:

“I did not ask Roger Goodell to give Ray Rice no more than a two-game suspension. I did not make any request for a ‘favor’ or any particular outcome. I know and like Roger Goodell, but it is inaccurate to call us ‘good friends.’ The two of us have spent very little time together — as I recall, one round of golf and one dinner several years ago.”

Cass:

“I did not urge Roger Goodell or any other League official to take any particular action.”

Newsome:

“I never asked Mr. Goodell or anyone else at the NFL to do anything for Ray or for the Ravens.”

7) Ravens did not seek second videotape

In March, a grand jury increased the charge against Rice to felony aggravated assault, which carries a sentence of three to five years. According to ESPN, it was at that point that the team decided to stop seeking the second tape showing Rice’s punch.

Response from Cass:

“We decided that we would await the outcome of the criminal case and the NFL disciplinary hearing and to leave the fact-finding to others. We should not have done that.”

8) Cass knew Rice’s suspension before it was announced

One source who spoke with Outside the Lines said that Cass knew that Rice would be handed a two-game suspension two weeks before Goodell announced it. Friends of Rice claim that the running back found out one day before the announcement.

Response from Cass:

“That is not true. Neither I nor anyone at the Ravens knew what the penalty would be until the Commissioner sent his letter to Ray on July 23. I did believe that a two-game suspension was one of the likely outcomes, because as far as I knew that was the maximum penalty that had been imposed in a case similar to Ray’s.”

9) Rice urged to admit he misled officials

Outside the Lines cited friends who said that Rice felt that Bisciotti, after an exchange of text messages, was asking him to admit that he had misled team officials and the NFL, and was insulted by the suggestion by the Ravens owner.

Response from Bisciotti:

“I cannot believe that Ray ever thought I was suggesting he keep quiet, when he got the texts or later on. They were not an insult. To the contrary, I think he knew these were messages from the heart, as were his responses to me. I wear my heart on my sleeve. Everyone knows that, including Ray.”

Newsome acknowledged that Rice did not necessarily lie to the Ravens when recounting what happened in the elevator, but notes that Rice did not go into detail about the events.

”When I met with Ray to discuss the incident, I asked him one question: “Did you hit her?” He responded: “Yes”. Ray and I didn’t discuss details beyond that, because in my mind if he hit her, no matter the circumstances or explanation, he needed to own the situation. I immediately focused on Ray taking responsibility and making amends. I later said Ray didn’t lie to me because he told me he hit her, and that is what the video later showed—although the video was much more violent than what I had pictured.”