On Thursday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the surveillance video inside the elevator at the Revel Hotel and Casino showing Ray Rice striking his then-fiancée was sent to NFL headquarters to the attention of league security chief Jeffrey Miller back in April.
The latest news, again, comes from an anonymous official. Back on September 10, The Associated Press reported that the NFL, via an anonymous law enforcement official, said that a league executive received and watched the tape. The source also played a 12-second voicemail from April 9, in which the alleged NFL executive confirmed receiving the video and stated, "You're right. It's terrible."
According to the AP, this person is the same source. He is gradually leaking out information in hopes of finding the NFL at fault, but it seems as if the vicious circle of accusation followed by denial will continue. When he spoke with the AP two weeks ago about the 12-second voicemail, he did not mention that the package containing the video was addressed to Miller because the source was already prohibited from releasing details of the case. However, he decided to unearth the information on Thursday.
"No one from the NFL ever asked me for the inside-elevator video," the source told the AP, via this ESPN article. "I mailed it anonymously to Jeff Miller because he's their head of security. I attached a note saying: 'Ray Rice elevator video. You have to see it. It's terrible.' I provided a number for a disposable cellphone and asked for confirmation that it was received. I knew there was a possibility Mr. Miller may not get the video, but I hoped it would land in the right hands."
Shortly after this was reported, Miller issued a statement via an NFL spokesperson and denied ever seeing the video until it was released by TMZ Sports on September 8. People can keep issuing accusations while those responsible will continue to deny them, but the current ongoing independent investigation should provide straightforward and honest answers once it's completed.
The NFL hired former FBI Director Robert Mueller III to lead the independent investigation back on the evening of September 10. Mueller was the second-longest serving director in the history of the FBI and was praised by Presidents George Bush and Barack Obama. He is currently conducting the investigation as New York Giants co-owner John Mara and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II will oversee the operations.
It'll be interesting to see if anybody from the NFL comes out and admits they're at fault, but based on the uninformative press conferences provided by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti (also at the hands of the reporters/journalists who viewed it as a public crucifixion rather than a Q&A), it's likely we won't know anything until the investigation concludes.
