Ray Rice case to be dismissed after completing program

Former NFL running back Ray Rice is having the domestic violence case dropped against him by a New Jersey judge after he completed his pretrial program, per ESPN.com. Judge Michael Donio was the man on the bench for the proceedings, dismissing charges after the Atlantic City prosecutor stated that Rice had completed his obligations.

"“I was just presented with a dismissal order from Prosecutor [James] McClain — which means that Ray Rice has successfully completed all of his terms and conditions of his PTI — therefore based on the Prosecutors recommendation I will be signing Mr. Rice’s dismissal of his case today,” Donio told ABCNews.com in the email."

Rice had to attend an intervention program for at least one year to get the charge of third-degree aggravated assault dropped. The arrest will stay on Rice’s permanent record.

Rice has been in extremely hot water since February 2014, when he was caught on elevator video camera hitting his then-fiance, Janay Palmer. The video was brutal, with Rice unloaded a right hook to the face of Palmer. The two were eventually married and are still together, with Janay standing by Rice’s side.

The NFL originally suspended Rice for only two games before the tape was leaked to the public by TMZ in September. At that point, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Rice indefinitely while the Baltimore Ravens, Rice’s former team, released him that same morning. Rice has been reinstated by the league but has not caught on with any other franchise.

At one point, Rice was one of the better backs in the league after being drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Rutgers University. Rice went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler and won a Super Bowl ring in 2012 with Baltimore. In six years, Rice amassed 6,180 rushing yards and 3,034 receiving yards with 43 touchdowns. In his most recent year of 2013, Rice averaged a paltry 3.1 yards per carry.