Ray Rice indicted on aggravated assault

Dec 16, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens running back Ray Rice has been indicted today on one count of aggravated assault. The charge carries a three to five year prison term, per ESPN Insider Adam Schefter.

This indictment is from the February incident of Rice knocking out his fiancee in an Atlantic City casino and then the video that surfaced days later of Rice shown dragging his fiancee out of an elevator.

The Ravens have supported Rice up to this point, with head coach John Harbaugh and majority owner Steve Bisciotti both making public statements. The official indictment will likely not change the team’s backing Rice in this matter, but more so, it could affect how the league office addresses the issue.

Ravens fans will be following the case closely from here on out, though any legal matters will likely be drawn out before a decision is made. However, a decision on whether or not Rice gets released by the team would likely come in the next few days. As a fan favorite and a guy who never had any off-the-field issues before, the biggest shock of Rice’s case came after the video surfaced. Rice’s clean history should factor in to both the Ravens’s and the NFL’s decision, and perhaps a form of probation and team-mandated counseling may be the outcome here.