|
 Rice, a six-year NFL veteran, claims that he was suspended twice
for the same offense, which would be a violation of labor laws.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who reportedly testified for two
hours on Wednesday, suspended Rice for two games in July for
punching his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, at an Atlantic City, New
Jersey, casino.
But when surveillance video emerged of the knockout punch in
September, Goodell suspended Rice indefinitely and the Ravens
released the running back and his $35 million contract.
Details of the midtown Manhattan hearing were few since the
arbitrator, former Judge Barbara S. Jones, issued a gag order on the
proceedings.
 The NFL players union called the hearing "fair and thorough."
"This appeal, presided over by a neutral arbitrator, which included
a presentation of all the relevant facts, witness testimony to the
truth and cross examination, is the due process that every athlete
deserves," the NFL Players Association said in a statement.
Goodell has said he did not see the video of the punch until it went
viral, that Rice's prior explanation of the incident was
"ambiguous," and he considered the video as new evidence.
[to top of second column] |
Rice's position was that he told Goodell exactly what happened
during the altercation, and he was only suspended indefinitely after
the public uproar over the video.
Attorneys for Rice were expected to question how the website TMZ
could have obtained the surveillance video but the NFL could not.
Both Rice and his now-wife Palmer were expected to testify on
Thursday.
(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Eric Beech)
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