Wife of ex-NFL player Ray Rice speaks out, defends husband

Janay Rice is standing by her husband, and blames media and public response to a video released Tuesday in which the woman was knocked out by Ray Rice for creating a nightmare.

“I woke up this morning feeling like I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like I’m mourning the death of my closest friend,” she wrote in on her Instagram feed. “But to have to accept the fact that it’s reality is a nightmare itself. No one knows the pain that the media & unwanted options from the public has caused my family. To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret everyday is a horrible thing.

“To take something away from the man I love that he has worked his ass off for all his life just to gain ratings is horrific. THIS IS OUR LIFE! What don’t you all get. If your intentions were to hurt us, embarrass us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you’ve succeeded on so many levels. Just know we will continue to grow & show the world what real love is! Ravensnation we love you!”

Rice told ESPN.com on Tuesday that he’s handling the situation.

“I have to be strong for my wife. She is so strong. We are in good spirits,” he said. “We have a lot of people praying for us and we’ll continue to support each other. I have to be there for (Janay) and my family right now and work through this.”

Janay Rice asked to be left alone as she and her husband try to cope with the publicity.

“I love my husband. I support him,” Janay Rice told ESPN.com. “I want people to respect our privacy in this family matter.”

TMZ released the security video of the domestic battery incident that took place in February at a casino in Atlantic City. The NFL and Baltimore Ravens, both claiming not to have seen the video before Monday morning, acted immediately. Ray Rice, 27, had his contract terminated by the Ravens and the NFL suspended him indefinitely. Previously the league issued a two-game suspension and fined the three-time Pro Bowl running back the equivalent of three game checks, sparking backlash.

Commissioner Roger Goodell did change the NFL policy on domestic violence offenses in the aftermath of the negative attention for the two-game ban, adopting a six-game suspension for first-time offenders and a lifetime ban for second offenses.

But the NFL did not ask for video from the Feb. 15 incident, according to TMZ.

In a statement responding Tuesday, the NFL said, “security for Atlantic City casinos is handled by the New Jersey State Police. Any videos related to an ongoing criminal investigation are held in the custody of the state police. As we said yesterday: We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. That video was not made available to us.”

However, the New Jersey State Police immediately contradicted that statement, telling ABC News that “Investigations of incidents on the casino floor are handled by the NJSP, but this occurred in the elevator and was handled by the (Atlantic City Police Department),” an NJSP spokesman said. “We never had the video.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday night that seeing the incident “changed things” for the team, which had been supportive of Rice. NFL Network reported that the team, including owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Ozzie Newsome, were told a “softer” version of the events of that night.

Bisciotti said he knew immediately after watching the video on television that Rice had to be released.

Goodell informed teams in a memorandum that any contract with Rice, who is a free agent, should not be completed until further direction comes from the NFL office.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that it had seen a higher-quality version of the video released by TMZ with audio in which Rice and his then-fiancee are heard screaming expletives. Per the AP report, when the doors to the elevator open security guards are heard saying “She’s drunk right?,” and then “no cops.”