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 The February 2014 incident involving Rice and Janay Palmer in an
Atlantic City casino's elevator and others involving NFL players
prompted the most popular U.S. sports league to toughen penalties
for domestic violence and other off-field misconduct.
Rice, a 28-year-old running back who was released by the Baltimore
Ravens due to the incident, had applied for New Jersey's pre-trial
intervention program during a May 2014 court appearance in which he
pleaded not guilty to third-degree aggravated assault charges.
He completed the one-year program, and Atlantic City Judge Michael
Donio signed an order on Thursday dismissing the charges, meaning
the arrest will remain on Rice's record but there will be no
conviction.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last year came under criticism for
his handling of the Rice matter. Goodell initially suspended Rice
for two games but after a video became public of the player knocking
out Palmer, his then-fiancée, with one punch, the commissioner
suspended Rice indefinitely.
An arbitrator later lifted Rice's indefinite suspension after
determining that the NFL had punished Rice twice for the same crime,
counting the initial two-game ban.
Rice has apologized for punching Palmer.
Goodell has admitted he "didn't get it right" in the Rice case, and
moved to strengthen the league's penalties against players who
commit domestic violence.
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Rice filed a wrongful termination grievance against the Ravens and
settled for $1.59 million, according to the Baltimore Sun. He was
seeking $3.5 million, the amount he would have earned had he played
the remaining 14 games of the 2014 regular season after being
suspended for two games.
Rice rushed for 6,180 yards and 37 touchdowns in six seasons with
Baltimore and helped the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory. After
missing last season, he hopes to join an NFL club for the 2015
campaign.
(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales and Steve Ginsburg; Editing by Will
Dunham)
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