Former Vanderbilt football player Vandenburg sentenced to 17 years for rape

Former Vanderbilt player Brandon Vandenburg received a 17-year prison sentence for his rape conviction.

Former Vanderbilt player Brandon Vandenburg received a 17-year prison sentence on Wednesday after he was convicted of rape in June.

Vandenburg was convicted of five counts of aggravated rape, in addition to other felonies, stemming from a 2013 incident in which he encouraged teammates to rape an unconscious woman he was dating at the time. He also recorded video of the events, on which he can be heard “giving instructions, encouraging, and [...] laughing,” prosecutors said. 

According to Jezebel.com, Vanderburg’s lawyers argued he was drunk at the time of the rapes, and thus should not be held responsible. After four hours, a jury convicted him of five counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and unlawful photography.

Vandenburg’s conviction is his second for the events, after an initial January 2015 conviction was overturned, followed by a retrial.