Ray Rice’s Domestic Violence Charges Dismissed By New Jersey Judge
Ray Rice’s domestic violence charges were dismissed by a New Jersey judge on Thursday. The dismissal of all charges came about because the former Baltimore Ravens running back completed a pretrial intervention program this week, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Atlantic County Judge Michael A. Donio dismissed the charged after County Prosecutor James McClain presented Judge Donio with the dismissal and informed the judge that Rice had completed his pretrial intervention as outlined in the agreement, according to Fox Sports.
The pretrial intervention included Rice paying a $125 fine and completing anger management counseling. Upon successful completion of the program, Rice’s third-degree charge of aggravated assault would be dismissed. There wouldn’t be a conviction, but the arrest will remain on Rice’s record.
“Rice avoided jail time in the case when he was accepted into the pretrial intervention program as a first-time offender.”
The domestic violence case came after Rice’s physical attack on his now-wife Janay, in an Atlantic City casino elevator in February, 2014. Rice was initially suspended from the NFL for two games. When a graphic video of the incident surfaced in September of Rice punching Janay in the face and dragging her unconscious body out of the elevator, Rice’s $35 million contract was terminated. He was also indefinitely suspended by the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. However, that suspension was lifted after an appeal was heard by former federal judge Barbara S. Jones.
“I’m actually done in my case. Really, I just have to call the state of New Jersey once a month. After May 19, I’m done. It will be a full year. It will be like a refreshing start. That’s the only little burden that I have. I have until May 19. I don’t have anything to do but call and confirm some things with them that I’m not getting into any trouble. It’s a real basic phone call and they give me another date for the next month.”
Rice recently sold his Reisterstown home and moved to Connecticut to be closer to his hometown of New Rochelle, New York. He remains a free agent and hasn’t visited or worked out for teams, but he is hopeful that he’ll get a second chance in the NFL.
Rice says he is a free man after completing the pretrial intervention program and after the judge dismissed all charges. He feel like he has a fresh slate by moving into his new house.
Do you believe Ray Rice will ever get picked up by another team even though his domestic violence charges have been dismissed?
[Image via Getty Images]
