Brandon Banks, a former Vanderbilt football player, was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for his role in a 2013 gang rape of a female student who was unconscious.
Banks, 23, was found guilty of aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery in June. He was found not guilty on five other counts. Banks had claimed during the trial that he was afraid he would get beat up if he didn’t take part in the rape, but videos he and other teammates shot during the rape didn’t show any hesitation or fear, prosecutors argued.
Two former teammates who also participated received 17 and 15 years in prison last year. A fourth teammate testified against the others in exchange for a possible plea deal when his case eventually goes to trial.
Banks could have received a maximum of 25 years for the convictions under Tennessee law.
The sentence was announced by Criminal Court Judge Monte Watkins Friday morning with Banks, his father, and other supporters in attendance, The Tennessean reported.
The victim testified about the rape during the trial, making it the fifth time she has taken the stand in the prosecution. She did not attend the sentencing.
Assistant District Attorney General Jan Norman read a statement from the victim, stating that most of what she remembers from the rape had to do with Banks, and that his attempts to minimize what he did were inconsistent with her experiences.
“Four years later he is still proving himself to be the person he is in those photos and videos,” she said, The Tennessean reported. “I ask this court not to use his transparent attempts to excuse himself as justification for leniency.”