AP source: Ray Rice video sent to NFL headquarters was addressed to security chief

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the video of Ray Rice punching his fiancée, now wife, inside an elevator was sent to the attention of National Football League security chief Jeffrey Miller at NFL headquarters back in April.

The NFL has maintained that nobody within the organization ever saw the footage from February of Rice knocking Janay Palmer (now Rice) unconscious before it was released by TMZ Sports earlier this month. The official, who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release details of the case, said that he does not know if Miller saw the footage or opened the package. But, he added, he did receive a voicemail on April 9 from a woman at the NFL headquarters, confirming that the package was received and saying: "You're right. It's terrible."

The source mailed the DVD anonymously, with a note attached that read: "Ray Rice elevator video. You have to see it. It's terrible." He told AP about the video two weeks ago, but asked that they not report that it had been mailed to Miller; he dropped that request Thursday. "Since the NFLPA and NFL have launched separate investigations into the league and the Ravens' handling of Ray Rice's case, I want to make a few things clear," he said. "No one from NFL ever asked me for the inside-elevator video. I mailed it anonymously to Jeff Miller because he's their head of security.... I provided a number for a disposable cell phone and asked for confirmation that it was received. I knew there was a possibility Mr. Miller may not get the video, but I hoped it would land in the right hands."

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Through a spokesman, Miller told AP Thursday night, "I unequivocally deny that I received at any time a copy of the video, and I had not watched it until it was made public on September 8."