The video of Ray Rice punching his fiancee inside a casino elevator was sent to NFL headquarters to the attention of league security chief Jeffrey Miller in April, a law enforcement official says.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release details of the case, said he doesn’t know if Miller ever saw the DVD or opened the package. His only communication with the NFL was a 12-second voicemail on April 9 from league offices confirming receipt of the package, in which a woman says, ”You’re right. It’s terrible.”
The official told the Associated Press two weeks ago that he sent the video to the NFL, but asked the AP not to report that he had addressed the package to Miller. He eliminated that restriction Thursday.
”Since the NFLPA and NFL have launched separate investigations into the league and the Ravens’ handling of Ray Rice’s case, I want to make a few things clear. No one from the NFL ever asked me for the inside-elevator video,” the official said Thursday. ”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.”
The law enforcement official said he wanted to make sure the NFL had the video before deciding on Rice’s punishment.
”My intention wasn’t to bring down Commissioner (Roger) Goodell or anyone else at the NFL,” he said.
He said he didn’t know the identity of the woman who left him the voicemail. He said he chose Miller because of his law enforcement background, even though he didn’t know him personally.
Miller, in London preparing for the Raiders-Dolphins game Sunday, issued a statement to the AP Thursday night through an NFL spokesman.
”I unequivocally deny that I received at any time a copy of the video, and I had not watched it until it was made public on September 8,” he said.
