Filing: Former Vandy Coach Franklin Talked To Alleged Campus Rape Victim

((HT: WSMV-TV/ESPN-Bennett))

Brian Bennett has news that a new defense filing in the on-campus assault case involving four former Vanderbilt football players from last June details contact between then-head football coach James Franklin and the defendant in the case.

The attorney for Brandon Vandenburg, one of the four former Vanderbilt football players up on rape charges, requested the charge against his client be dismissed because the state failed to preserve evidence.

Tony Gonzalez's article in the Tennessean details it, including:

• the majority of more than 27,000 messages and 220 calls on the alleged victim's phone, of which just 47 calls or texts were provided to the defense;

• text messages between Vandenburg and the alleged victim, as well as between him and former wide receiver Chris Boyd and co-defendant Cory Batey;

• text messages and phone records from three team staff members — former head coach James Franklin, former director of performance enhancement Dwight Galt, and associate director of athletics Kevin Colon;

• texts and social media posts from players and the victim's friends;

• police interview records with a close acquaintance of the alleged victim;

• DNA test results from another man;

• an interview with the girlfriend of former starting quarterback Austyn Carta Samuels; and

• other police notes and medical records.

The new filing says that Franklin and strength coach Dwight Galt also talked to the female four days after the rape.

Bennett's key paragraph (from Gonzalez's article):

Franklin and Galt told the victim "that they cared about her because she assisted them with recruiting," according to the filing. Later, the defense said, "Coach Franklin called her in for a private meeting and told her he wanted her to get 15 pretty girls together and form a team to assist with the recruiting even though he knew it was against the rules. He added that all the other colleges did it."

Franklin and Galt are now both at Penn State and the Nittany Lions head coach didn't want to talk to anyone about the filing.

Here's some background from February where it was thought that Vandenburg was even going as far as saying things against Batey. Batey's attorney claimed the act was to keep Batey from getting a fair trial...
WSMV Channel 4

The case is set to go to trial in August.

Nashville DA: Franklin/Carta-Samuels Not Involved In Rape Cover-Up

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Davidson County (TN) District Attorney Torry Johnson held a press conference yesterday to clear the air yesterday regarding the Vanderbilt University rape case. And the larger issue that was picked up dealt with texts sent by Chris Boyd after the rape took place.

A Boyd text mentioned the quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels as one of two people who helped Boyd move the victim out of a hallway.

Johnson cleared that up saying that the text was from Boyd but misidentified Carta-Samuels. Johnson also addressed rumors of involvement by Vandy head coach James Franklin. He said those rumors were also untrue.

Here's the presser...
NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather

Boyd's plea deal involves the notion that he is going to help out prosecutors who are trying to convict four former Vandy football players for the alleged rape of an unconscious co-ed on campus. Appearances of the defendants start next month in court...

Boyd Dismissed From Vandy, Will Testify Against Ex-Teammates

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Vanderbilt announced it has dismissed Chris Boyd from both the football team and athletic program.

Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Beth Fortune said, in a prepared statement, that the decision came after a review that included information that came out in open court as a part of his plea bargain hearing.

"Vanderbilt's athletic administration, in conjunction with its head football coach, today dismissed Chris Boyd from the university's football team and athletic program. The action came after an ongoing review that included information disclosed during a hearing September 13 in Davidson County Criminal Court.

The review concluded that Mr. Boyd's admitted actions are clearly inconsistent with the high standards of behavior expected of our student-athletes." said Fortune.

Boyd entered a conditional guilty plea to a role in attempting to cover up the rape of an unconscious student in a dorm on the school's campus that also allegedly involved a handful of other Vanderbilt football players.

Boyd received a suspended sentence on a misdemeanor charge of "criminal attempt to commit accessory after the fact." If he completes probation, his record is cleared. Surprising no one, he is also cooperating with prosecutors and is set to testify against the four other former football players charged in the case.

Brandon Vandenburg, Jaborian "Tip" McKenzie, Brandon Banks and Cory Batey each face five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. They are scheduled to be in court Wednesday, October 16th.

McKenzie was kicked off the Alcorn State football team after one game and transferring from Vandy- which was a big no-no.
((HT: WKRN-TV))
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DEVELOPING: Vandy WR Boyd Pleads To Lesser Charge, McKenzie's Alcorn Career Over After 1 Game...

((HT: WSMV-TV))

Suspended Vanderbilt WR Chris Boyd pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a local criminal court appearance this morning- a misdemeanor charge of "criminal attempt to being accessory after the fact."

Boyd was given an 11 month, 29 day suspended sentence. He has been placed on probation and won't serve any more jail time right now. He was suspected of helping to cover up the alleged sexual assault inside a dorm room at Vanderbilt.

Before the sentence was handed down, prosecutors read text messages between Boyd and one of the rape suspects in open court about what may have happened on the night in question. Vanderbilt suspended Boyd from the football team upon learning of his initial indictment.

Here was the court appearance...
WSMV Channel 4

The HQ's guess is that Boyd cut a deal to inform authorities about the others who are allegedly involved in the case...

Speaking of ex-teammates, JaBorian "Tip" McKenzie's career at Alcorn State lasted one game. McKenzie, after being banned from the Vanderbilt campus as a result of the accusations, transferred to Alcorn and could play immediately because of Alcorn's FCS/Division I-AA status. He wasn't listed on an active roster, but played last Saturday.

In a statement, Alcorn State University President M. Christopher Brown II, said:

"Alcorn failed to sufficiently examine the allegations against McKenzie before allowing him to participate in our football program ... In an effort to provide educational opportunities to a Southwest Mississippi student, Alcorn State University made an error in judgment."