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Two Former Vanderbilt Football Players Convicted of Rape

© AP Photo / The Tennessean, John Partipilo, PoolThe defense gatherers after the jury was read the charges against Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville, Tenn.
The defense gatherers after the jury was read the charges against Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville, Tenn. - Sputnik International
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After three hours of deliberation, and twelve days of graphic testimony, former Vanderbilt University football players Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were convicted of sexual assault Tuesday evening.

The two formers players were found guilty on four counts of aggravated rape, one count of attempted aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

Prosecutors told the jury Vandenburg brought the woman, then a 21-year-old neuroscience major, upstairs into his dorm room after several hours of drinking. The woman was then was raped by four then-Vanderbilt football players in June of 2013.

© AP Photo / The Tennessean, John Partipilo, PoolBrandon Vandenburg looks at the jury as Judge Wilkins reads the charges during his trial on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville
Brandon Vandenburg looks at the jury as Judge Wilkins reads the charges during his trial on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville - Sputnik International
Brandon Vandenburg looks at the jury as Judge Wilkins reads the charges during his trial on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville

The rape was recorded on a cellphone, and Vandenburg sent photos of the incident to friends as it was happening. Witnesses saw the woman unconscious and at least partially naked following the attack, which nonetheless went unreported.

The accuser, whose identity has been kept secret throughout the trial, testified earlier that she did not remember her assault. 

Batey explained that he consumed a lot of alcohol and did not remember what actually happened. He made a personal apology to the victim on the stand. 

"I was just drunk out of my mind," Batey said. "This is something I would never do in my right state of mind. I'm just sorry."

© AP Photo / The Tennessean, John Partipilo, Pool)Corey Batey stands in court after the jury left the room during his trial on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville, Tenn
Corey Batey stands in court after the jury left the room during his trial on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville, Tenn - Sputnik International
Corey Batey stands in court after the jury left the room during his trial on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015 in Nashville, Tenn

Deputy District Attorney General Tom Thurman  told the jury during opening statements that Batey urinated on the victim while using racial slurs, but Judge Monte Watkins of the Davidson County Criminal Court ruled that racial slurs could not be used as evidence and told the jury to ignore the comment. 

On Tuesday, Thurman said that Bates and Vadenburg were both entitled athletes who could “get away with anything.” 

The defense argued that the two boys were intoxicated, and shouldn’t be fully held accountable for their actions. They went on to blame the pressures of college drinking culture as a reason for their actions. 

Sentencing for the Batey and Vandenburg will take place on March 6. 

A trial date for the other two players has not been set.

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