Vanderbilt rape victim condemns jury verdict for ex-player
In this Tuesday, April 5, 2016 file photo, former Vanderbilt football player Cory Batey sits during a break on day two of his trial in Judge Monte Watkins’ courtroom in the A.A. Birch building in Nashville, Tenn. The former Vanderbilt football player has been found guilty on Friday, April 8, of raping an unconscious student in a dorm . AP file photo
NASHVILLE, Tennessee—The victim of a Vanderbilt dorm room rape on Saturday condemned a jury verdict that resulted in a former football player being convicted of lesser charges.
Jurors found Cory Batey guilty Friday night of a host of charges, but only agreed on one of five counts of the most serious charge of aggravated rape, which carries a penalty of 15 to 25 years in prison.
“I am deeply disappointed in the jury’s verdict,” the woman said in a statement. The Associated Press does not normally identify victims of sexual assault.
This was the second time Batey went to trial. Batey and former teammate Brandon Vandenburg were tried last year and convicted on multiple aggravated rape charges. But the verdicts were thrown out because the jury foreman did not reveal that he was a victim of statutory rape.
Vanderburg and two other ex-players are also charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg is facing an additional charge of unlawful photography.
Police said they recovered images and videos from the players’ cellphones. Testimony showed that one of the players sent video of the assault to friends while it was happening.
The woman could be facing testifying again in three additional trials.
In Batey’s case, jurors dropped down the additional four aggravated rape charges to two counts of attempted aggravated rape, facilitation of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery. They also convicted him of the additional two counts of aggravated sexual battery.
“Cory Batey was guilty of each count of aggravated rape beyond a reasonable doubt last year, and he is no less guilty today,” the woman said.
She said defense attorneys had harassed her with impunity for three years and that she and other victims deserve better.
Her statement comes before Batey’s sentencing in May and before Vandenburg’s scheduled retrial in June. The other trials have not been scheduled.
