Students

Four Former Vanderbilt Football Players Charged For Raping an Unconscious Female Student (UPDATE)

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The District Attorney charged four former Vanderbilt University football players with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of sexual battery for raping an unconscious 21-year-old female student in one of their dorm rooms this summer.

Following the allegations, Corey Batey, 19, of Nashville; Brandon Vandenburg, 20, of Indio, California; Brandon Banks, 19, of Brandywine, Maryland and Jaborian McKenzie, 19, of Woodville, Mississippi, were dismissed from both the team and the campus June 29, pending the investigation by the Metro Nashville Police Department's sex crimes unit.

On Friday afternoon, Metro police officers arrested Batey at his residence and immediately took him to the General Hospital for a mandatory HIV testing, a protocol carried against someone charged with rape. His bond is set at $350,000. After the tests, Batey will be transferred to the Metro Jail.

"I do not know exactly what the charges are, but I'm sure it involves some type of sexual misconduct," said Worrick Robinson, Batey's attorney. "The police arrived at Corey's home and he surrendered to the police and they took him downtown and I believe he is going through the booking process at this very second."

The police are urging remaining suspects living in other states to come to Nashville and turn themselves in.

Don Aaron, a Nashville police spokesman, believes that the alleged rape occurred in Vandenburg's room at the Gillette House dorm in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 23. As a result, he is also charged with tampering with evidence and unlawful photography.

The incident was not immediately reported.

"The matter first came to light the next week when university officials checking the dorm's hallway surveillance recordings regarding an unrelated situation observed concerning behavior by the defendants," according to a police press release.

"We are 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," said Beth Fortune, Vanderbilt vice chancellor for public affairs.

"Our first thoughts are for the victim, a Vanderbilt student, and we have conveyed to her and her family our deepest sympathy and sorrow. We will continue offer her all of our services and support," Fortune said.

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