Breaking news: Baltimore Ravens cut Ray Rice

In the wake of a a video surfacing that shows Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee and now wife Janay Palmer with a left hook, the Baltimore Ravens have released the running back.

Full statement from Ravens: 'The Baltimore Ravens terminated the contract of RB Ray Rice this afternoon.'

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) September 8, 2014

That's a simple statement from the Ravens. Perhaps too simple, but let's not focus on that.

Let's focus on this question instead. Plain and simple, did the Ravens do the right thing by cutting ties with Rice, the former Rutgers running back?

Rice had been serving a two-game suspension, a punishment that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was roundly criticized for and which led the league to toughen punishments for players involved in domestic violence. That minimum punishment is now a six-game suspension.

Goodell has also decided to further punish Rice.

Commissioner Roger Goodell: Based on the new video evidence that became available today, Ray Rice is indefinitely suspended.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2014

There is no question in my mind the Ravens did the right thing here. It is just unfortunate that it took the video evidence becoming public to make it happen. There is no place in the NFL, or society in general, for treating a woman like that.

[NOTE: I placed this here because it is a topic that deserves to be discussed. Let's try to keep this civil as possible.]