NFL STAR RAY RICE MARRIES FIANCEE AS CASE FOR ASSAULTING HER MOVES FORWARD

Ray Rice and his fiancée Janay Palmer put a rush on their wedding -- getting married the day after he was indicted for assaulting her in an Atlantic City casino.
TMZ Sports broke the story -- Rice allegedly assaulted Palmer on February 15 ... and we posted surveillance video of him dragging her limp body out of the elevator. He was charged with third degree aggravated assault on Thursday.

According to ESPN ... Rice and Palmer tied the knot Friday in a ceremony that had been planned for a couple of weeks.

We know what you're thinking -- they had a shotgun wedding so she couldn't be forced to testify against Ray ... it's called spousal privilege, but it won't apply here.

In New Jersey, (and many other states) spousal privilege does NOT apply if the alleged crime was committed against your spouse.

SOURCE