Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much But hey, at least they used condoms right? Make Yahoo Your Homepage Discover something new every day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more! SHARE. The first one involved an argument, but "no signs of. Banks' father was among four people who testified on his behalf Friday. The arrest comes after a surveillance video showed Stacy beating his former. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, Former Vanderbilt football players convicted of rape, Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. But Vandenburg and Batey have been held in jail since January after the jury found them guilty on multiple counts of rape and aggravated sexual battery. Prosecutors asked for the maximum, saying the crime was particularly egregious and that the punishment would send a message about campus rapes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Vanderbilt University's vice chancellor Beth Fortune said the school was "shocked and saddened by the allegations that such an assault has taken place on our campus and that they include members of our football team. I'm just sorry.". But thats not all. She testified in January that she had no memory of the assault until she saw a video of it. Back in 2013, a 21 year-old neuroscience major at Vanderbilt University was sexually assaulted by not one, not two, notthree, but four football players while she lay unconscious in a dorm room. One also videoed it and sent the footage to friends as it was happening. Their arraignment is set for Aug. 21, although McKenzie has already pleaded not guilty and waived his right to appear at the arraignment, The Associated Press reported. So naturally, thats what they all did. During her victim impact statement, she described the horror she felt seeing the images of herself. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound consensus All-American is a key returning player for a dominant Georgia defense that allowed 14.3 points per game last season. Getting to trial. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. An attorney who represents the alleged victim in the case declined to comment ahead of their release. I know Brandon has tried to do it before.. Team 3 Spring Schedule Set. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A former Vanderbilt football player was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison after he was convicted of taking part in the gang rape of an unconscious female student. The players used their cellphones to take pictures of the rape. I let everyone down and many lives were destroyed, he said. A Warner Bros. Awake. Judge Monte Watkins announced the decision Friday afternoon, and called the case one of the saddest hes ever seen, according to WKRN. "He took photographs that he never should have taken," Vandenburg attorney Fletcher Long said. Watkins set bond for Batey, a Nashville native, at $350,000. And inside his room, the woman was assaulted by multiple people, as prosecutors described Vandenburg as a cheerleader and orchestrator. The declaration of a mistrial Tuesday was a stunning turn of events in a highly publicized case that raised troubling new questions about rape on college campuses and the role of bystanders who fail to act. The two other men involved Brandon Banks and Jaborian Tip McKenzie were also charged in the case, but have yet to be tried for their alleged involvement, according to WKRN. Finley was charged with tampering with evidence and after cooperating with authorities, took a deal last year and pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. Teammates Chris Boyd and DeAndre Woods, took it upon themselves to move the victim back into Vandenburgs room. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 12:01 AM EDT, Sat November 5, 2016. I let everyone down and many lives were destroyed.. If this doesnt piss you off, theres probably something wrong with you. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Cory Batey weeps during his sentencing hearing Friday, July 15, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Batey, a former Vanderbilt University football player, was sentenced . He also apologized to Vanderbilt University. Brandon Vandenburg appearing in court in 2016 (Photo: WKRN). We allneed to SPEAK UP about rape culture. The jury deliberated for about three hours before finding Brandon. While Banks's attorney refused to comment on the case and McKenzie's attorney did not return calls for comment, there have been. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. It originally took the jury just two hours to convict the former football players, who were each charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. He was also taken to the hospital for a mandatory HIV test before he was taken into custody, the news release said. The footage revealed "concerning behavior by the defendants," police said. But I remember a time in high school Brandon tried to use something, a pill of some sort, Im not sure if it was roofies, but his dad gave it to him and he told him it loosens women up. The Associated Press contributed to this report. [14][13] All four men were charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Did you encounter any technical issues? The jury found Banks not guilty on five other counts. One year of unsupervised probation, which, if completed, will leave his record squeaky clean. Vandenburg apparently had been issued a misdemeanor citation while he was out awaiting trial. 2. ORLANDO, Fla. (WKRN) Former Vanderbilt University and NFL player Zac Stacy will remain out of jail on bond while facing domestic violence charges in Florida. All Rights Reserved. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. [20] In 2020, the Tennessee Supreme Court declined to reconsider Vandenburg's appeal of his conviction.[20]. "That's the culture that you really saw here, their mindset that they can get away with anything," Thurman said. I still ask that he receive the full sentence allowed under the law for orchestrating a sustained 30-minute gang rape against me, a defenseless woman who trusted him. In fact, Batey and Vanderburg remain in jail on a $350,000 bond. [23][24][25] He testified against Vandenberg and Batey as part of a plea deal, and was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In the statement, the victim wrote, Two professionals who have helped me through this and witnessed the impact on me have submitted letters to you describing what they have seen, and I ask that you consider those., Former Vanderbilt football player found guilty in sex assault, The statement continued, Please do not use my absence as an excuse for leniency, as it in no way diminishes the profound and insidious impact of Mr. Vandenburg on me and my life. In closing arguments, prosecutors said the football players believed they were entitled athletes who could "get away with anything.". They were accused with two other players of assaulting an unconscious female student in a dorm room in June 2013. The former receiver was released after posting $50,000 bond, according to jail records. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Batey, a former safety on the team, was arrested at his Nashville home on Friday around 3:30 p.m., taken for a blood test, and then booked into Davidson County Sheriff's Office on a $350,000 bond. There were also friends of Vandenburg who knew of the crime. Criminal Court Judge Monte Watkins cleared the way for the players release a day after declaring a mistrial because of juror misconduct and setting aside their rape convictions. Prosecutors, whove insisted that the jurors history did not affect the jurys decision, have said they will retry the case, which featured testimony from the alleged victim. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Monte Watkins handed down the sentence for Cory Batey after the victim in the case said her life has been shattered as a result of the rape. or redistributed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The victim said she learned of what happened to her when detectives showed her the graphic images retrieved from the phones. Stacy, 30, was in court . Almost 19 months ago, four men allegedly carried a woman into a dorm room at . But that verdict was thrown out after it was revealed that one of the jury members was a victim of statutory rape himself, a fact he failed to disclose ahead of the trial. Its been in the news for over four years and you, like many others, may be wondering why. Five team memberstwo now convictedwere accused of a horrific sexual assault in 2013, raping an unconscious undergraduate in a freshman dorm and urinating on her face. They were involved. He is out on bond & is a student at Alcorn State University https://t.co/nIRHEe6pNJ pic.twitter.com/7beac2fKuI, WSMV-TV, Nashville (@WSMV) June 20, 2017. Published on June 25, 2015 11:00 AM. Prosecutors have said they will seek a new trial, but no trial date has yet been set. [12] "I was scared and uncomfortable and didn't know what to do," Prioleau said during his 2015 testimony. Former NFL player Zac Stacy was sentenced to six months in jail in Florida on Monday night, more than a year after video appeared to show him attacking an ex-girlfriend. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? So far the rate of this case is under one rapist per year. Three of the football players have been convicted ( one as recently as June 2017) and one still awaits trial. He told the court he was an inexperienced drinker when he got to college, according to WKRN. Legal Statement. Thanks for contacting us. The Best Breakup Advice from Reddit, and Experts, 5 Instagram Famous Couples Who Are Cute Relationship Goals, 4 Ways To Create Lasting College Friendships, 10 Tips on How to Survive Long-Distance Relationships, Relationship Therapy Changes the Game for Love, The View from the Window by Carina Paredes-Rivera. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail. [17], In August 2017, after being convicted, Banks received a 15-year sentence; after he gets out he will be required to be listed on the sex-offender registry for the rest of his life. Watkins on Tuesday declared the mistrial after determining that the jury foreman intentionally withheld information about being a victim of statutory rape. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Vandenburg and Batey were on trial together, but represented by different attorneys. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. They have pleaded not guilty. All rights reserved. Market data provided by Factset. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Where things stand in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. "This is something I would never do in my right state of mind. Friends dont let friends play fast and loose with consent. And women are still the majority of rapevictims. The judge delivered the minimum sentence to Brandon Banks, who was convicted in June of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery. "We will review our athletics program to be sure that it, like all other programs at the university, reflects our culture of community and respect for others and that our student athletes are held to the same high standards of conduct as all our students. Melinda McDowell,. What happened in the Vanderbilt rape case? Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Alex Murdaugh testifies 4 years after fatal boat crash involving son, encouraged three of his teammates to have sex with the victim. So heres everythingyou need to know aboutit. By providing the information below you will receive early-bird invitations to our events, exclusive musings tailored to your interests, and access to our curated mentorship program. Vandenburg and Batey were accused with two other players of assaulting an unconscious female student in a dorm room in June 2013. "[11][9], The four defendants documented their gang rape with both videos and pictures and tried to delete it. The trial also featured testimony from several athletes at the school who saw the female student in distress but failed to call for help. Have taken, '' Vandenburg attorney Fletcher Long said of assaulting an female! He got to college, according to WKRN jury found Banks not guilty on five other counts should. 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