NFL Reportedly Saw Photos from Greg Hardy's Alleged DV Case in April

The NFL reportedly was aware of and had obtained the police photos depicting Greg Hardy's acts of alleged domestic violence before suspending him for 10 games earlier this year.

According to ESPN.com's Ed Werder, NFL investigator Lisa Friel obtained photos from police, which were published last week by Deadspin, in April. The league also sued the state of North Carolina for seven additional photos that were not publicly published.

The leaking of those photos, along with a harrowing account of the night by Deadspin's Diana Moskovitz (Warning: Link contains disturbing images), cast Hardy's history of domestic violence back into the public eye last week. Moskovitz's account, which is based on police records, depicts Hardy as menacing and bordering on murderous, saying he beat, choked and threatened to kill then-girlfriend Nicole Holder.

Hardy's conviction on the domestic violence charges was overturned on appeal when Holder stopped cooperating with investigators. His criminal record regarding the case was also recently expunged. He spent 15 games on the commissioner's exempt list last season while his appeal was being heard.

The former Pro Bowler signed with the Dallas Cowboys during the offseason and has played in their last four games after his 10-game suspension was reduced to four on appeal. While Hardy recently took to Twitter to express regret for his actions, Werder indicated that was not the case for most of the process. His report said that "at no time during the NFL's investigation, nor through his suspension and appeal, did Hardy demonstrate remorse for the incident."

Hardy has posted four sacks in as many games since returning to action. The Cowboys have been both publicly and privately supportive of the troubled defensive lineman.

"We decided we were giving him a second chance, but in doing so, the expectations and the standards we set would be very clear to him and how he and, really, everybody else is supposed to conduct themselves on the football field and off the football field," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said, per ESPN.com.

Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo reported Sunday that Hardy was "despondent" after the photos were released. The Cowboys became "concerned" after reportedly being told he was drinking Friday and put him in contact with Hall of Famer Charles Haley, who has become a mentor figure within the organization. Hardy recorded three tackles and a sack in Sunday's 33-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

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