Player involved in Vanderbilt rape case dismissed from Calif. college football team

One of the players dismissed from the Vanderbilt football team for alleged participation in a 2013 on-campus rape has been removed from a California college team after the media raised questions about whether he should be allowed to play.

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Brandon Banks was one of four men charged with rape last year after allegations by a young woman who said she was attacked in a Vanderbilt dorm room while unconscious. All four men have pleaded not guilty and a trial is set for November.

Banks and the three other men were all kicked off the Vanderbilt team, but Banks returned to football this year with Butte College in California. This fact came to the attention of local media and they set upon Butte College officials.

When asked by the press about their decision to let Banks play despite the charges against him, Butte College director of student affairs Al Renville offered the following explanation (via WSMV.com):

"“The director of athletics contacted me … he wanted to ask my advice. Whether or not there is an issue with a student at a former college, I did not know if he was still attending or left the college, but he had been accused of sexual assault.“If there is no action that had been taken, or the person is not on their way to jail for being convicted, so anybody has the ability to go to school at Butte.”"

Media questioning about Banks’ presence at Butte College led to a community backlash and the school has since done a 180. Butte College President Kimberley Perry explained:

"“Butte College has a strong code of conduct for all student athletes, and clearly with the charges pending, the student should not have been allowed to participate on the team.”"

Butte College says they will review their “anyone can come here” admission standards in light of the Banks controversy.

When contacted by the media, Banks’ attorney said his client is just trying to get on with his life.

A second accused former Vanderbilt player, Jaborian “Tip” McKenzie, is currently playing for Alcorn State but that could be a precarious situation as well.

Coincidentally, Banks’ dismissal from Butte College’s football team comes at the same time the national discourse is being dominated by the Ray Rice story and the backlash over the NFL’s handling of his case.