There's video of NFL star Ray Rice apparently hitting his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in an Atlantic City elevator, knocking her off her feet, into a railing and rendering her unconscious -- yet prosecutors declined to put him on trial for felony aggravated assault, even after a grand jury indicted him.
Instead, the 27-year-old was accepted into a pretrial intervention program for first-time offenders, which allows him to avoid jail time and could lead to the charge being erased from his record entirely.
Following Rice's admittance into the pre-trial intervention program in May, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain said the "decision (not to go to trial) was arrived at after careful consideration of the information contained in Mr. Rice's application in light of all of the facts gathered during the investigation. After considering all relevant information in light of applicable law it was determined that this was the appropriate decision."
A May 20 press release from the prosecutor's office went on to describe the program as being similar to probation "in that it avoids incarceration and requires the satisfaction of prescribed conditions. The program ranges in duration between 6 months and 4 years. Successful completion of the program by a defendant results in the dismissal of criminal charges."
AnneMarie McAvoy, a former federal and state prosecutor, told 48 Hours' Crimesider that it's "very unusual" for someone to go from being charged with aggravated assault - a third degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison - to being admitted into a program in which there is hardly any punishment at all.
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