The thigh nudge occurs at about :57 on this video after he picks up her flip flop.
His stance after he lays her on the ground outside the elevator. His posture as he steps away from her (at about the :40 second mark of this video).
Keep in mind three things: A) I’m not defending him, B) He’s still clearly angry and frustrated, C) She might indeed be fully unconscious or semi-conscious at this point. I don’t know. I’m stating what I think his mindset was at that moment. He doesn’t seem remorseful, but neither does he seem triumphant. He seems pissed and he blames her. And I think he thinks she’s faking at least some of it.
IMO, a man should never hit a woman except in self-defense, and self-defense is only really necessary if a man does not have a dominant physical advantage over a woman. My physical advantage, at best, is slight over an average woman. I used to arm wrestle women where I worked and won about half the time. So if a woman comes at me, it’s a threat. If I’m Ray Rice though, unless she’s armed, you probably have time to think out how much force you need to use. I wouldn’t deck a 7-year old for hitting me, and that’s pretty much what she is compared to him physically: a child.
Agreed. At about :06 he spits on her as she passes him in the hallway. At :07, she smacks his shoulder (through his substantial jacket, clearly causing no pain) for spitting on her and moves toward the elevator. This is where she looks ot me like she doesn’t want him to come in after her.
Then at :25 he hits her the first time. She doesn’t back down but moves toward him and appears to be yelling. Many people have asserted that she’s slapping him here, I don’t see it.