The rape happened in a span of 30 minutes. The case has been pending 19 months. The trial took 12 days. The jury deliberations took just a little more than 3 hours. Former Vanderbilt University football players Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey were found guilty yesterday in the rape of an unconscious woman in a dorm on June 23, 2013, The Tennessean reports. The trial occurred amid national attention on issues of sexual assault on college campuses, and scrutiny of how colleges react to reports.
As the verdict was read, the victim — who does not remember the rape — held her mother’s hand and held back tears. She said, she was “hopeful that the publicity this case has received will lead to a discussion of how we can end sexual violence on college campuses.” District Attorney Glenn Funk said hopes the case prompts change and sends a message that his office will prosecute cases of sexual violence. “If you see someone who is being sexually assaulted, the right thing to do is to report it and try and get the person some help,” he said.