Jurors in the case of the ex-Vanderbilt University football accused of gang raping an unconscious student are deliberating. Banks will spend at least 15 years in prison if convicted on five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery.
The victim took the stand Wednesday, talking about how little she remembered because she was unconscious. She said the last thing she remembered was drinking something Vanderbilt football player Brandon Vandenburg gave her. The woman testified she woke up the following morning in a room she didn’t recognize, with injuries to her left shoulder, left wrist, and right knee. She said she didn’t know who Banks was during the time of the gang rape.
The defendant followed her to the stand. During his testimony, he said he faced bullying over claims he was gay.
Banks said he first saw the victim as Vandenburg, one of his teammates, tried to bring her to a dorm. He claimed he told Vandenburg that the woman had to go to the hospital, but Vandenburg said “F that.” The defendant claimed he was intimidated by his teammate, who told him to take pictures of the gang rape.
“He told me to take pictures, too, so I take a picture,” Banks said. “I got pretty close to her rear end. He told me to.”
Vandenburg was already convicted for his role last June, and is in the middle of a 17-year prison sentence. Teammate Corey Batey was convicted back in April 2016. Another player, Jaborian McKenzie has pleaded not guilty, and has yet to face a trial.
[Screengrab via WKRN]
