The Ravens yesterday issued a statement "defending their role in Ray Rice’s May 23 news conference and maintaining they did not suggest Rice’s wife, Janay, apologize for her involvement in the couples’ domestic violence incident," according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore SUN. Their response "came three days after Janay Rice said in an interview on the NBC 'Today' show that the Ravens 'suggested' she apologize for the altercation she had with her then-fiancee" in February. Ravens Senior VP/Public & Community Relations Kevin Byrne in the statement said, "We did provide talking points to Ray for this event. After Ray informed the Ravens that Janay wanted also to speak at the event, I asked Ray on two different days if Ray wanted me to speak with Janay in advance of the press session. Both times, Ray declined and said: 'She's good. She knows what she wants to say.' At no time prior to the May 23 session did we provide talking points, a script or suggested script to Janay or speak with her about the press event. We did not recommend or suggest to Ray or Janay that she apologize in any way." Byrne said the Ravens "decided that if we don’t respond, people may believe what is being inaccurately reported." Zrebiec notes the Ravens also were "roundly criticized for their role in the news conference and for the team’s official Twitter account writing that 'Janay Rice says she deeply regrets the role that she played the night of the incident.'" That tweet was "quickly deleted." Asked specifically whether the Ravens advised her to apologize, Janay Rice said, “They suggested it, yes.” But she added that the team "didn’t give her the exact wording to use." She said, "They basically gave us a general script" (Baltimore SUN, 12/4).
