Former Vandy player found guilty of rape

Former Vanderbilt player Corey Batey was found guilty of the aggravated rape of a woman late on Friday night.

Batey had been convicted of the rape – which happened in 2013 – in an initial trial in 2015, but the decision was overturned and he was tried again this year. He was found guilty once again this year, and immediately taken into custody.

His teammate – Brandon Vandenburg – who also had his guilty conviction turned over in 2015 – will be re-tried in June. Two others – Brandon Banks and Tip McKenzie – have all been charged but it is not known when they will be tried, the Tennessean says. All four players were booted from the Vanderbilt team when the charges emerged by then-coach James Franklin.

Batey had been charged on seven counts of aggravated rape, and was found guilty of that as well as ‘lesser’ charges of aggravated sexual battery. We would go into details, but seriously – click on the link. It’s grotesque. Especially when you think that the woman that Batey did it to was unconscious at the time.

Batey’s lawyer, Courtney Teasley blamed the fact that he had been drinking and said that he had no memory of the incident, and then blamed Vandenburg for orchestrating the event, even calling him a “puppet master”. She pleaded leniency to the jury, who ignored her pleas.

Batey could be sentenced for 15-25 years. As could Vandenburg, Banks and McKenzie.

In the first trial, James Franklin – the then-coach at Vandy – testified at the first trial that he had originally told players that he had seen the video, but then – through his attorney – confessed that that was a lie. Franklin is now the head coach at Penn State.