The NFL maintains that the league was not permitted access to the elevator footage of Ray Rice assaulting his then-fiancee Janay Palmer, an assertion the New Jersey attorney general confirmed.
A spokesman for the attorney general's office told ABC News on Tuesday afternoon it would have been illegal to give the NFL a copy of the video. This remains consistent with the NFL's statements that requests for the video were denied. The league's office maintains that the NFL had not seen the video prior to Monday's release by TMZ. The video depicts Rice knocking Palmer unconscious.
CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin reports the hotel gave copies of the video to the Atlantic City police, the local prosecutor's office and the New Jersey casino commission as well as Ray Rice's attorney.
Ray Rice Elevator Video
That video comes seven months after surveillance video footage emerged in February of Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer from the elevator. This video, in addition to accounts provided by Rice and Palmer, were determining factors in a two-game suspension from the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens terminated Rice's contract Monday and the NFL followed suit by issuing an indefinite suspension.
TMZ reported Tuesday that the NFL could have gained access to the video had the league requested the footage from the Revel Hotel and Casino. The NFL responded to this claim by stating that requests filed with the Atlantic City Police Department and New Jersey State Police were denied.