Agape Life

Over the past couple months, the NFL has been under a lot of scrutiny and criticism. From Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens to Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and many other not so popular players. Everyone has been in a bit of hot water. Roger Goodell, NFL’s commissioner, has frequently been criticized for his punishments imposed on players and teams. 

 

The Ray Rice altercation was the main factor for the NFL’s recent downward spiral. 

 

Ray Rice was caught on camera spitting and punching his then fiancé, now wife in the face. She has stood by his side, defends him, and is not willing to press any charges against him. After the NFL interviewed Rice, they initially gave him a standard two game suspension. The NFL claimed that they did not receive the video of what happened inside the elevator; which is where the punches happened. The NFL claimed that they only received the initial video that showed the events that happened outside of the elevator. However, the NFL has suspended Rice indefinitely since then because they claim that Rice was not completely honest with what happened that day. 

 

Who knows what turn of events can happen next because nobody knows if the NFL is just trying to hide the fact that they knew what happened on the video tape. I personally feel that Ray Rice should not be suspended indefinitely. It just seems like the NFL is trying to throw someone under the bus because they initially “dropped the ball.”

 

Don’t get me wrong, I never said Ray Rice shouldn’t be suspended. I just felt that the punishment was very excessive. The NFL set guidelines on domestic violence cases. First offense domestic violence cases receive a 2 game suspension. 

 

This case reminds me of a prohibited law known as Ex Post Facto. Ex post Facto is when laws are adopted after an act is committed making it illegal; even though it was legal when done, or increases the penalty for a crime after it is committed. These laws are prohibited by the U. S. Constitution, Article I, Section 9. Therefore, if a state legislature or Congress enact new rules of proof or longer sentences, those new rules, or sentences, do not apply to crimes committed before the new law was adopted. 

 

The NFL changed the rules Ex Post Facto (after the fact) to put a harsher punishment on Rice which I think is wrong because he committed the crime before they changed the rules. The NFL should have had the implemented 2 game penalty.