This may turn out to be the most important and impactful video of Domestic Violence ever released in this country. Tonight, the nfl finds itself at the center of a firestorm. We came to the decision that we came to to release ray. Contract terminated. The Baltimore Ravens have terminated ray rices contract. Suspended indefinitely by the National Football league. After a video was released by tmz sports showing the football star knocking out his then fiance in february. He was charged with assault back in march. He accepted an Intervention Program in order to avoid jail time. He got a slap on the wrist, a twogame suspension. The punishment was in no way adequate. I apologize to my fans. I failed miserably. They held this press conference with ray rice and his fiance. I do regret the incident that night. Blaming the victim. By doing that, they are revictimizing her. They cared more about race playing on the field than they did about his violent behavior on the girlfriend. What did they know and when did they know it . As the Los Angeles Police officers who went to prison for beating rodney king can tell you, video changes everything. And today, a video released by tmz sports changed everything for professional Football Player ray rice. Heres what his coach said after watching the video. Its something we saw for the first time today, you know, all of this. And it changed things, of course. You know, it made things a little bit different. It actually made things a lot different, a lot different for every player in the nfl, starting with ray rice, who was first fired by his team today and immediately after that, indefinitely suspended by the nfl, quote, based on the new Video Evidence that became available today. Unquote, according to a Statement Released by nfl commissioner Roger Goodell. Ray rices coach explained how the video made it an easy decision. We had a chance after seeing something this morning, seeing the video this morning we had a chance to get together with steve, dick, ozzy, myself. We had a meeting. It was not a long meeting. We came to the decision that we came to, to release ray. And thats what we did. And here is that video that changed everything today. Joining me now is sportswriter for usa today, nancy amore. Also mike wise. Nancy, first of all, to the issue of this is the first time we at the ravens team or we at the nfl offices are seeing this video. What is the credibility of that . Hi, lawrence. To me, its not great. If it was the first time that they were seeing this video, its because it was the first time they wanted to see this video. This is a group that gets tape on seventh round draft picks that can tell you x, y, and z about them. And theres no way. They have ties to Law Enforcement officers. Theres no way they didnt see this video unless they didnt want to see it. And mike wise, the press release that the Atlantic City police put out about the arrest in this case said right there in the first day, it said it was based on, after reviewing Surveillance Footage. So it was right hear in the press release after reviewing Surveillance Footage thats how they put up the complaint against ray rice. And no one at the nfl or at the team made any attempts to review that very same Surveillance Footage . I mean, there is some negligence going on here, not just at the local level, the Atlantic City district attorneys office, but the nfl, the Baltimore Ravens, what bothered me about this was not so much that tmz essentially became your discipline lord today with the release of their video, but you knew what had happened in that elevator, and the notion that they didnt actually act on what they knew before, the idea that a woman in the earlier video would have janay palmer being pulled out of the elevator, how she would get that way other than being unconscious. And he pulled her out of the elevator. It bothered me that the nfl and ravens needed Video Evidence inside the elevator before they took action. Nancy, i want us to take a look at this tweet that the ravens put out. Back when the very first video was released, again, by tmz on this, and that was video from just outside the elevator, aft punch, after the knockout punch. They released this tweet saying janay rice deeply regrets the role that she played the night of the incident. Yeah, nice, isnt it . Blaming the victim. That never should have happened. The fact that they had her sitting next to ray rice at his news conference, they couldnt have been more tonedeaf throughout this whole investigation if they tried. And, you know, its great that something was done today, but it shouldnt have taken the video to come out. As mike said, you saw the video of her unconscious. She didnt trip and fall in that elevator. He admitted that he struck his wife. And unfortunately, for most Domestic Violence victims, they dont have video to protect them. It shouldnt have, it should not have taken this for the nfl to act, for the ravens to act, for them to take a strong stance on this. It should be mentioned, laurence that a lot of people skipped over this fact. Nancy said not only were they at the press conference together, peter king of monday morning quarterback sports fame had reported that ray rice and janay rice went into an office with Roger Goodell, that would help inform him on discipline, and he was there with the ravens president and along with adolfo burch, Roger Goodell tried to play, basically, Domestic Violence counselor at a time when nobody in Law Enforcement or Domestic Violence would put the perpetrator and the victim in the same room together to talk about and give their stories just for the mere purpose of maybe she was coerced or didnt feel comfortable telling the truth. Its something you dont do. And it goes to what nancy said. The tonedeafness is on such a level, im calling for Roger Goodells job tomorrow in the Washington Post. One punch gets you cut from your team and then suspended indefinitely by the league. And then the next one of these cases its probably unlikely to have video. And so what will the standard. Right. Then be without video. Will someone in Roger Goodells office sit there and decide, well, how hard was the punch . Was the woman knocked out . How are they going to evaluate this . I dont see how you can take the next case and say, well, he didnt hit her as hard as ray rice did, so lets see, we wont cut him, and we wont suspend him for very long. And the nfl has two test cases right on its docket right now. Ray mcdonald was arrested on suspicion of Domestic Violence. Greg hardy from the Carolina Panthers is playing after hes appealing his conviction for assaulting his former girlfriend and threatening to kill her. It should not need video. If you hit a woman, abuse a woman, leave scratches and marks on her neck, what more do you need . It shouldnt take video for the nfl to say no. This is unacceptable. And i think that youre going to see, going forward, that they are not going to have a choice but to take a strong stand. Most of the public is outraged. And the nfl next month for Breast Cancer awareness is going to be turning out their pink jerseys to show they care about women. Theyre going to have to show that they care the rest of the year too. Before Roger Goodell resigns tomorrow in disgrace, should he apply the ray rice standard to the other cases nancy was just talking about . Yes, he should. And i dont, this is a guy who was giving allknowing powers by the last, in the last collective bargaining agreement. This is a guy whos thought to be the lord of discipline and has been criticized in the past for being too stringent. Two games for knocking your fiance, significant other, whatever, out in an elevator when other players like wes welker, getting four games for amphetamines and others getting four games for marijuana, there is no consistency there. There should be a public outcry, public outrage, and i think the nfl at this point, with everything its given to america has to have more social value than just bringing the gladiators on sunday. They have to give this country a little bit more than this. Mike wise of the Washington Post and nancy armour. Coming up, why that video of ray rice punching the woman who became his wife, we can hope will change how we talk about Domestic Violence. And a last word exclusive also tonight, senator al franken will join me. And later, why doctors are so worried about a dangerous respiratory virus thats affected hundreds of children. This is dangerous. Its coming up. So ally bank really has no hidden fees on savings accounts . Thats right. Its just that im worried about you know hidden things. Ok, whys that . No hidden fees, from the bank where no branches equals great rates. Ugh. Heartburn. Did someone say burn . Try alka seltzer reliefchews. They work just as fast and taste better than tums smoothies assorted fruit. Mmm. Amazing. Yeah, i get that a lot. Alka seltzer heartburn reliefchews. Enjoy the relief. A broader mix of energies, world needs which is why we are supplying natural gas, to generate cleaner electricity, that has around 50 fewer co2 emissions than coal. And why with our partner in brazil, we are producing a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane to fuel cars. Lets broaden the Worlds Energy mix, lets go. If you are so moved, go to our Facebook Page tonight and tell us what you think, what you felt watching that ray rice video. Were going to actually show more of it in our next segment. I think its very, very important video. Tell us if thats the first time youve seen Domestic Violence. And if it isnt, tell us what it makes you feel about your experience already in this terrible, terrible area. Next were going to discuss why this tape of ray rice and janay palmer is so important to our understanding of Domestic Violence. Mmm mmm mmm mm mmm mm mmmmmm here we go, here we go, here we go. Fifty omaha set hut losing feeling in my toes nothing beats that new car smell chicken parm you taste so good nationwide is on your side mmm mmm mmm mm mmm mm mmmmmm why let erectile dysfunction get in your way . This is the age of knowing what youre made of. Talk to your doctor about viagra. Ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain. It may cause an unsafe drop in Blood Pressure. Side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision. To avoid longterm injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. Stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. This is the age. Of taking action. Viagra. Talk to your doctor. You have seen the president and the Vice President make very forceful Public Comments in talking about how important it is for men, in particular, to step up and step forward and make clear that violence against women is something that is, is not and cannot be tolerated. That was the White House Press secretary today commenting on the release of the new video of ray rice, punching and knocking out, the mother of his only child, the video released today represents a turning point, i think, in americas understanding of Domestic Violence of just how bad it is. If youre one of the lucky ones who has never seen Domestic Violence in action, then you are fortunate enough to be shocked by that video today, but women and men and children who have been in those situations, who have witnessed those things up close did not have the luxury of being shocked today. It is much like the reaction to the rodney king beating which was captured on video 23 years ago. Most americans were shocked by the rodney king video, but not all americans, especially black americans who had seen such things or heard such things from people close to them. The rodney king video showed just how bad police can be. The officers involved eventually went to federal prison. But no one is going to go to prison for what happened on that elevator in Atlantic City, because ray rice was given a standard deal offered to firsttime offenders, which is to say firsttimetheyvebeencaught offenders, he will have been clearly caught on videotape committing this crime. In an agreement with prosecutors, ray rice has entered a program to train him to stop beating his wife. Joining me now is kim gandy, president and ceo of the National Network to end Domestic Violence. She met with Roger Goodell in august to help outline the nfls new Domestic Violence policy, also lisa blume is here and former federal prosecutor annemarie mcavoy. Kim gandy, first of all, your reaction to the nfls action today based on your conversations with mr. Goodell . Theres no question theyve done the right thing. This gave them a Second Opportunity to do the right thing, having recognized that they didnt get it right the first time. And annamarie, in new jersey, is this a standard outcome for a socalled first offender . It depends. If there is violence involved and clearly there was significant violence involved in this case. So theres no reason they had to enter this kind of agreement with him. Because of the type of situation it was they could have and probably should have presented it to a grand jury and let a grand jury decide what to do. There is, lisa blume, incredible outrage by the Atlantic City police and the officers who showed up on the scene there, officer quan sam actually filed a complaint against the woman whos knocked out on the floor out cold. She was charged with the same thing. The same thing that rice was charged with. Absolutely outrageous. Its the fallacy of false equivalents. And i see this in my the law practice in Domestic Violence cases all the time. Both are making allegations against the other. Were going to charge them both, enter restraining orders against both of them. We saw that in the George Zimmerman case for example. And then it all goes away. To equate a woman who is knocked unconscious with a man who is completely unscathed is completely preposterous, and thats what seems to have happened here. And the Atlantic City press release on this says after reviewing you the Surveillance Footage, it appeared both parties were involved in a physical altercation. That is an absolute lie. And kim gandy, there are people who are, you know, calling for goodells job. I urge everyone to go to tmz sport where you can see the entire footage, see what happens outside the elevator and see if you can find any reason to charge this woman for being the victim of her now husband. It is unfortunately common. It happens in Police Departments all over the country where mutual arrest is extremely common. Sometimes Police Officers are just annoyed that theyve been called out to the same house yet again. And they say, well, im going to arrest you both, going to send the kids off to foster care or off to be detained somewhere overnight. And thrown sometimes shell say, wait, wait, wait, dont send my kids away. Ill drop the charges so that i can take them home. It really is terrible what happens in some departments. Other departments are models and understand the issue and are well trained and handle these cases properly, but it varies so much from one jurisdiction to another. But annemarie, what she was just describing usually doesnt involve a video. He hit me, and then its his word against her word and they do that double complaint business. This Police Officer looked at the footage that we are looking at all day today, and he, this officer, let me say his name to america one more time. Officer quan sam, he decided that that woman knocked out cold needed to face exactly the same charges as the guy who knocked her out cold. Now assuming that he saw the video of what happens inside the elevator, its hard to imagine how that could be the case. But also you have the d. A. s office who i would assume also had access to the, all of the surveillance. Not just what happened outside but what happened inside the elevator, and they also have an obligation to look at it and look at the evidence they have, and even if she doesnt want to cooperate, because thats often the case in Domestic Violence cases. In this case you have so much evidence outside of the victim, so even if she doesnt want to testify or she doesnt want to take part in it, they have all of this evidence. Its hard to understand why they wouldnt have at least put it before a grand jury. Im going to show you another piece of video that occurred there, from taken from inside the do we have it, cont