Corey Batey and Brandon Vandenburg’s Victim Gets a Voice

Corey Batey and Brandon Vandenburg.

Victim Gets a Voice

Time spent broadening horizons at universities across our nation is intended to be one of the best times in a young adult’s life. It should be a time of learning, experiencing, and ultimately finding a career path that will offer you a sustainable future. Unfortunately when many young women look back on these years they don’t immediately remember staying up all night studying, having a little too much fun with friends, or even the anxiety they felt during exams. No, far too many women leave their university years with tarnished memories of a night when they were sexually assaulted. In fact, it is so prevalent in our nation’s institutions of higher learning that many orientations advise women against drinking heavily, walking alone at night, or even leaving their drinks unattended. It is estimated that about 20-25% of women in institutions of higher education will be victims of a completed or attempted rape. This statistic is so high thanks in part to young men like Corey Batey and Brandon Vandenburg.

The Events Leading to the Vanderbilt Rape Case

On June 23, 2013 Vandenburg and his soon-to-be victim arrived at his dorm room at about 2:30 in the morning. Both were heavily intoxicated. The young woman was already unconscious from her evening of drinking at a local bar with Vandenburg. This is when, according to Deputy Assistant Attorney Tom Thurman, Vandenburg carried his victim into the dorm room and put her on the floor like trash. Within two minutes Cory Batey started assaulting the young woman. Then another friend and football teammate of Vandenburg, Jaborian McKenzie, joined in the attack. One of them assaulted her with a water bottle. Vandenburg’s role was to cheer on his teammates, as shown to the jury in a video. Witnesses would later testify that Vandenburg said he couldn’t rape her because he was high on cocaine and couldn’t get an erection. Batey peed on her when the attack was concluding. The victim was unconscious throughout the entire 30 minute assault. The video was recorded by Vandenburg. Vandenburg sent the video to his childhood friends in California. Later each of the men would play a part in attempting to delete the evidence. Another friend named Boyd also attempted to cover up the crime. Vandenburg went so far as to fly to California to destroy the cell phones of the men who had copies of the video but still disputed the charge. Corey Batey and Brandon Vandenburg, along with their other friend involved in the Vanderbilt rape case, were ultimately unable to save themselves from the consequences of their actions.

The Outcome in the Vanderbilt Rape Case

The police investigation into the morning of June 23, 2013 began long before the victim ever knew what had happened to her. Surveillance footage was found by the Vanderbilt Police Department. The footage showed the victim being dragged around and Vandenburg trying to cover up the camera with a towel. The young woman was contacted and told police that Vandenburg only told her she had vomited in his room and he took care of her. She said she apologized to him. Later she went for a medical exam and the real story came out quickly. By August 9, 2013 the four men were indicted on criminal charges of aggravated rape and sexual battery. Boyd was later dismissed when he was indicted on charges of being an accessory after the fact.

Corey Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were tried together in a court in a trial that lasted for 12 days. In under three hours the jury returned with a guilty verdict for each of them. Vandenburg has now hired another attorney for his appeal. Fletcher Long, his trial attorney, stated on March 12 that he agreed with Vandenburg’s decision. “They hired me to try that case and get a good result and I didn’t.” Randall Reagan and Troy Bowlin will now handle the appeal on behalf of Vandenburg and Batey.

At Brownstone Law we hope that the victim of the disgusting crime is able to leave school with her memories of friends and fun intact.

Tags: , , ,

Speak with a appellate lawyer