Tag: Franklin

Vandy rape case declared mistrial

    The Vanderbilt rape case has been declared a mistrial. The case was thrown out because the jury foreman did not admit that he was once the victim of a sexual assault. Corey Batey and Brandon Vandenburg had both been accused of crimes of aggravated rape and sexual battery, and were found guilty five months ago on five counts of the former and two counts of the latter. According to CBS, both players had been waiting sentencing before the revelations took place, which might mean that they avoid decades of jail-time. The trial, CBS noted, “featured graphic video and photographic evidence showing the unconscious female student being violated in the dorm room“, accusing the players of owning that footage.

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Former Vanderbilt players found guilty of rape

Two former Vanderbilt games have been found guilty of the rape of a student in 2013. Brandon Vandenburg and Corey Batey were found to have brought the unconscious, unnamed student up to his dorm room after drinking after taking her to their bedroom, where Vandenburg photographed the assault, according to ESPN. Two other players – Brandon E. Banks and Jaborian McKenzie, are still waiting to be tried. The news shocked the campus in September 2013….but what has also haunted the campus was the cover-up by other football players of the action. This included star wide receiver Chris Boyd, who was booted for his role in covering up the gang rape. Boyd was given a yearlong probation in return for testifying

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Vanderbilt investigated by US Government

Vanderbilt is to be investigated by the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights for its handling of possible violations of federal law over the handling of sexual violence and harassment complaints. This should be no surprise to the SEC university’s administration, who is facing new allegations that then-football coach James Franklin tried to persuade a rape victim to be one of a more than 10 girls to become ‘hostesses’ for the university’s recruiting purposes. The school is one of a number of schools currently under US Government investigation for violating Title IX. Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be

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Vanderbilt boots WR Boyd

Vanderbilt has said that it has expelled its second starting wide receiver Chris Boyd in connection with allegations around the rape case at the school earlier this year. Boyd was accused of helping to cover up the rape of an undisclosed woman at a university dorm in late June. A warning: This excerpt from a USA Today post will make your stomach turn: “On Friday at a plea hearing for former wide receiver Chris Boyd, Deputy District Attorney General Tom Thurman read details in court that indicated Boyd and two others helped move an unconscious 21-year-old woman from a hallway back into a dorm room after she had been raped. He didn’t name the other individuals, but read a text

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Anchor Up or Down? 2013 Vanderbilt preview

James Franklin has got the Vanderbilt program in something of a stir. After years in the SEC doldrums after doing nothing since the Jay Cutler years, James Franklin has brought in a new confidence into Nashville, and with it, they’ve reached a bowl in their last two seasons, and more’s the case, are laughing at Tennessee, who’s having a shameful time. And although Vandy has definitely recruited well – an ESPN ranking of 22 for last year – there’s a dark cloud that’s been brought over the program, and that’s due to a rape that took place in late June this year that has ensared five Vanderbilt players – including four that have been booted off the team (and one

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Vanderbilt starting WR indicted in rape case

Vanderbilt starting wide receiver Chris Boyd has been indicted in the rape case that has shaken the Vanderbilt football program, according to the Tennessean. Boyd, who had 50 receptions for 774 yards and 5 TD in the 2014 season, has been suspended by head coach James Franklin, has been charged with trying to cover up the assault, which happened on June 23rd. The release said: “Boyd, 21, is charged with one felony count of being an accessory after the fact. He is essentially accused of taking part in an attempted cover up of the sexual assault through his advice to certain defendants who were indicted last week. Boyd’s representatives have been made aware of the indictment. He is expected to

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Rape Case: ‘Vanderbilt Four’ identified

Vanderbilt has released the names of the four Commodores players booted off the team in an investigation of a sexual assault. They are: Freshmen Tip McKenzie, Corey Batey and Brandon Banks. The fourth was transfer from junior college – tight end Brandon Vandenburg. All four players would have contributed to the team, says Vanderbilt blog ‘Anchor of Gold‘ – although Vandenburg – rated one of the country’s best juco tight ends – was the only potential starter. The alleged incident happened in a dorm room earlier this year, and is currently being investigated by the Sex Crimes Unit. Vanderbilt coach James Franklin – who is bound to get questions asked about this when he takes the podium during the SEC

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SEC Preseason Preview: Will Vanderbilt continue moving on up?

A lot of people are very excited about the Vanderbilt Commodores this year. After all, they’ve been making a lot of noise on the recruiting front lately, and James Franklin put together a team that doesn’t just give up – hence why they lost four desperately close games (one in overtime), and this could be a season when Vandy puts together a winning regular season record for the first time in a decade. People are saying that they could upset South Carolina on the first game of the season… Anyway… LAST YEAR Vanderbilt fans may have celebrated going bowling, but really, it could have been so much more than that if they hadn’t broken their fans’ hearts over and over

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SEC Preseason Preview: Can Missouri Roar In The East?

Here’s a quick tip for you: Missouri will scare the heck out of the SEC East – especially when they play teams at night in Farot Field. Remember: This is a team that’s beaten No.1s in the past on home turf (Ohio State and Oklahoma in a monster night games in front of a rabid, unforgiving crowd) and really, really wants the chance to do more damage in the future. I spoke to a buddy at Georgia about his team’s chances and he said: “We’re scared. Missouri aren’t going to take any prisoners and our guys certainly picked a time to get thrown off the team and eat hash brownies”. I think we could echo that. But anyway, this is

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SEC Meetings: What to Expect From Media Days 2-3

A few months after the SEC Meetings in Florida, we’re getting a play-off in college football – and it’s all to the SEC’s advantage, because if that group is going to sit and talk about ALL schedules – not just non-conference schedules – then it’s going to be SEC all the way. So anyway, here’s what we expect the coaches to talk about at the SEC Media Days from now on in (sorry about missing Mssrs Pinkel, Spurrier, Franklin and Sumlin, but we’ve been away (but you will be caught up on what they said). We expect: Nick Saban to talk about Alabama’s recruiting, re-tooling after another National Championship, and of course – as happens every year – oversigning. And how

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