Friends of alleged UVA rape victim dispute details of her story
(CNN) - On a fall night two years ago, Jackie, the alleged victim of a brutal gang rape, recounted her story in vivid detail to two friends. She recalled the assault for Ryan Duffin and Alex Stock on picnic tables at the quaint University of Virginia campus.
"Her lips were quivering and (she) looked like somebody who had just been through some really traumatic experience," said Duffin, who met Jackie through a mutual friend at orientation. "I've never seen anyone look like that before. I really hope I never have to see anyone look like that again."
They sat outside a freshman dorm as she told of the shocking sexual assault, according to the friends. This was long before her account of the attack appeared in a now infamous Rolling Stone article published on November 19.
That harrowing account described how Jackie was lured to a fraternity house and allegedly raped by seven men at a Phi Kappa Psi party. The article sparked international outrage and portrayed the University of Virginia's response as cold and even tolerant of such horrific behavior.
Several weeks later, the magazine published an apology that raised questions about the authenticity of the story.
Duffin and Stock told CNN they remember a starkly different account than what appeared in Rolling Stone. Their version cast doubt over whether the man who allegedly orchestrated the attack even existed.
"I mean there are definitely some major holes in the story," said Stock, who also met Jackie through a mutual friend at summer orientation. "I think that that was pretty clear in the Rolling Stone piece... It was almost too perfect of a story."
Source: Ravens knew extent of Rice incident hours after punch
A source within the Baltimore Ravens organization tells CNN that a Ravens official knew that former running back Ray Rice knocked out his now-wife and knew there was video evidence of it just hours after the incident occurred.
This latest information comes as embattled NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell broke his silence Friday to address the domestic abuse cases that have consumed his league over the past 10 days.
Speaking at a Manhattan news conference amid calls for his resignation, Goodell announced a sweeping policy to counter domestic abuse and sexual assault, mandating all players and staff on the league's 32 teams undergo education and training about how to prevent abuse.
All the uproar, started with the elevator surveillance video of Rice abusing his now-wife. A crime that initially cost rice just two games. Goodell apologized for failing his fans.
"I got it wrong in the handling of the Ray Rice matter and I'm sorry for that," Goodell said. "I'm not satisfied with the way we handled it from the get-go. I made a mistake. I'm not satisfied with the process we went through. I'm not satisfied with the conclusion."
CNN's Miguel Marquez has more.
Protesters rally against Arizona's controversial anti-gay bill
(CNN) - Arizona's Legislature has passed a controversial bill that would allow business owners, as long as they assert their religious beliefs, to deny service to gay and lesbian customers.
The bill, which the state House of Representatives passed by a 33-27 vote Thursday, now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican and onetime small business owner who vetoed similar legislation last year but has expressed the right of business owners to deny service.
"I think anybody that owns a business can choose who they work with or who they don't work with," Brewer told CNN in Washington on Friday. "But I don't know that it needs to be statutory. In my life and in my businesses, if I don't want to do business or if I don't want to deal with a particular company or person or whatever, I'm not interested. That's America. That's freedom."
As expected, the measure has drawn criticism from Democrats and business groups who said it would sanction discrimination and open the state to the risk of damaging litigation.
On Friday, the LGBT group Wingspan staged a protest march to the governor's office that drew about 200 people. Some carried signs with messages "God created us all equal" and "Shame on Arizona."
Tucson-based Rocco's Little Chicago Pizzeria posted a photo on its Facebook page of a sign with a message for state lawmakers: "We reserve the right to refuse service to Arizona legislators."
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