National Football League

Jesse Jackson rips NFL for lack of diversity in new advisers

Published Sep. 16, 2014 6:03 p.m. ET

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The Rev. Jesse Jackson criticized the NFL on Tuesday for not including any African-American women when it brought on three domestic violence experts as consultants.

The league said Monday that Lisa Friel, Jane Randel and Rita Smith would serve as "senior advisers." NFL director of player engagement and education Deana Garner, who helps lead the league's domestic violence programs, is African-American.

About two-thirds of NFL players are African-American, according to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.

"Where is the jury of your peers?" Jackson said.

The civil rights leader called the lack of diversity among the senior advisers a "shameful insensitivity" that "compounds the credibility crisis."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been under heavy criticism for his handling of the domestic abuse case involving star running back Ray Rice.

The league declined comment Tuesday on Jackson's remarks.