Rozner: NFL, Goodell take shocking stand against Elliott
Every nine seconds in the United States, a woman is assaulted or beaten in a case of domestic violence.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women has been physically abused by an intimate partner.
And each day three women will be killed by a current or former partner, state Bureau of Justice statistics.
So we simply can't be surprised when cases come to light, though when it occurs with professional or college athletes it gets more attention than someone living down the street from you.
At the center of a controversy now is Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who has been suspended six games by the NFL, though he wasn't arrested and prosecutors in Ohio decided against filing criminal charges.
A statement from the NFL said Elliott will sit for "violating the league's Personal Conduct Policy," amid allegations of domestic violence.
Now, we could spend hours discussing the ways in which Roger Goodell has bungled these decisions over the last decade, but fairness compels us to credit the NFL commissioner with making a tough call in the face of what he knew would be a barrage of criticism.
Considering the immense power of Dallas owner Jerry Jones and his public statements over the last year that he was certain Elliott would not face punishment, this was a bold move by Goodell that could certainly have him wondering about his job security.
But the question before us now is, did Goodell make the right call on this one, or did he take such a stand because he has gotten it wrong so many times in the past when dealing with domestic violence among NFL players?
"The evidence in front of the NFL had to be pretty persuasive if they were willing to take on Jerry Jones and the Cowboys," said University of Maryland law professor Leigh Goodmark, herself a practicing attorney and victims' advocate. "I can't personally evaluate it myself. I only know what's been in the media.
"But I can't imagine the NFL taking this step if it didn't have a really strong case."
Goodmark teaches at the University of Maryland, directs the Gender Violence Clinic and is the 2013 author of "A Troubled Marriage: Domestic Violence and the Legal System."
Goodmark is also aware that the alleged victim in this case sent some texts that seem to weaken her argument.
"It's possible she sent texts (threatening to ruin his career) after he abused her. It's possible she sent those out of anger," Goodmark said. "Victims of violence aren't angels and those of us who are advocates would have an easier job if they didn't do those things.
"But it doesn't mean abuse didn't happen. Relationships are complicated. People are complicated. Using her texts as proof it didn't happen is problematic.
"The NFL hasn't fallen into that trap."
The NFL statement said that league investigators interviewed more than a dozen witnesses.
The NFL also says it consulted medical experts and "examined all available evidence, including photographic and digital evidence, thousands of text messages and other records of electronic communications."
Goodell sat out the process, seeking the views of four external advisers, including former New Jersey attorney general Peter Harvey, Hall of Famer Ken Houston, former U.S. attorney and SEC chair Mary Jo White and Tonya Lovelace, CEO of The Women of Color Network.
States the NFL, "In a letter to Elliott advising him of the decision, Todd Jones, the NFL's Special Counsel for Conduct, said these advisers 'were of the view that there is substantial and persuasive evidence supporting a finding that (Elliott) engaged in physical violence against (his girlfriend) on multiple occasions during the week of July 16, 2016.' "
It's ridiculous that the investigation took a year but stunning that Goodell had the guts to suspend one of Jones' stars.
"It's absolutely unusual," Goodmark said. "To do it against the Cowboys is a statement. It's a huge statement.
"I still don't think Goodell takes domestic violence seriously. I think he takes the image of the NFL seriously. I think he takes his own image seriously.
"He's messed this up so many times that maybe he felt compelled to do something. Let's hope it's the right case or he sets back the cause 100 years."
If the evidence is what the NFL says it is, Roger Goodell did the right thing - finally.
If the evidence is what the NFL says it is, none of the background noise changes what happened.
If the evidence is what the NFL says it is, this marks a significant change in Goodell policy and could have a lasting and positive impact.
If the evidence is what the NFL says it is.
brozner@dailyherald.com
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