In a shocking development Friday four former Vanderbilt football players have each been charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery, Metro police said Friday. The report according to Brian Haas of The Tennessean threatens to shake the school heading into the start of Vanderbilt’s 2013 football season as four underclassmen who have never played a down for the Commodores are now being accused of a grisly crime involving the gang rape of an unconscious female.
As assumed, Vanderbilt has suspended the four players in light of the charges. They were suspended in light of “team rule violations.” Those violations likely stemmed from the night in question.
Brandon Vandenburg, 20, from California; Brandon Eric Banks, 19, from Maryland; and JaBorian McKenzie, 18 from Mississippi and Cory Batey, 19, of Nashville, were charged in the indictment, Haas reported. Vandenburg was also charged with one count of tampering with evidence and one count of unlawful photography.
Batey has already been arrested and taken to General Hospital for a mandatory blood draw, Haas also reported.
Police said the four raped an unconscious woman in Vandenburg’s dorm room June 23. Police were notified of the incident once university officials checked a hallway security camera in an unrelated incident and saw suspicious behavior by the four.
“We have been in contact with law enforcement authorities out of state and made them aware of the persons being wanted,” said Don Aaron, spokesman for Metro police. “If they decide to surrender, that’s on them. In the interim, if enforcement runs into them… they’ll be taken into custody.”
Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson called the evidence, “compelling” and “unsettling”. Aaron said he couldn’t elaborate on the unlawful photography charge, but said their electronics expert was “heavily involved” in their investigation.
“Our electronics expert specializes in the forensic analysis of modern-day electronic gadgets,” Aaron said.
Banks’ attorney, Grover Collins, said he couldn’t comment on the case.
“I can’t discuss any charges at this point,” he said. “At this point I don’t feel like it’s appropriate to comment at this time.”
When asked whether he was negotiating for Banks to surrender to police, he responded, “as soon as possible.”
Aaron, declined to rule out the possibility of more arrests in the case.
Vanderbilt football coach James Franklin and athletics director David Williams declined to be interviewed immediately by the newspaper according to Haas.
None of the four players have ever played in a game for Vanderbilt, but the group did feature some promising recruits for the SEC school, including Vandenburg. Vandenburg was considered one of the biggest recruits of the 2013 signing class for Vanderbilt. He was expected to contend for a starting spot with the Commodores this fall before the incident.
Batey was a redshirt freshman making the switch to safety after spending 2012 as a wide receiver while Banks, an all-state player in Maryland, was considered an up-and-coming cornerback who was expected to receive an opportunity to see the field this fall.
The fourth accused suspect, McKenzie, was a redshirt freshman set to serve as a backup receiver this fall.
We are likely to find out more about this case in the coming days.
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