As Ray Rice faces years in prison after being indicted on third degree aggravated assault on Thursday, he and his fiancée followed through on their plans to get married.
Rice and Janay Palmer were married Friday night in a ceremony that had been planned for a “couple weeks,” according to ESPN.com.
The marriage comes about a month and half after a Feb. 15 altercation at a New Jersey casino between Rice and Palmer that led to both being arrested. According to the court summons from the incident, Rice allegedly hit his then-fiancée with his hand and knocked her unconscious.
Prosecutors don’t need Palmer’s testimony to convict Rice. There is reportedly the existence of a video that shows Rice allegedly knocking his wife unconscious, and it will go a long way toward proving beyond a reasonable doubt that assault was committed, regardless of whether his new wife takes the stand.
Both Rice and Palmer were originally charged with simple assault-domestic violence; however, as of now, only Rice has been indicted. The aggravated assault charge on which Rice was indicted is a more serious count than the original simple assault-domestic violence charge.
Rice could face three to five years in prison if he’s convicted on the one charge.
Michael Diamondstein, Rice’s attorney, issued a statement saying that neither Rice nor Palmer wished to move forward with the case.
“We deny Ray Rice committed aggravated assault. Neither Ray nor (his fiancée) Janay Palmer wish to prosecute the matter. Ray and Janay are together. They’re happy, and they’re in counseling,” Diamondstein said. “We believe that as a matter of law that Ray Rice did not commit aggravated assault. We ask only that the public reserve judgment until all the facts come to light.”
