Vanderbilt’s Brandon Vandenburg Gang Rape Trial: Year Four: Brandon Banks

The moment the verdict sunk in.

Update:  June 23:  GUILTY.  Brandon Banks squeeze bottle put the squeeze on him. Jurors did not hold him responsible for, Batey-like charges.  One count each for aggravated rape, and aggravated sexual battery.

But lets begin with Mack Prioleau:  The one guy who could have stopped this horrible crime.

Mack Prioleau  – The most chilling part in the fourth Vanderbilt University football gang-rape trial, this one featuring defendant, Brandon Banks; was testimony from Mack Prioleau.  Teammate and Christian, All Saints High School graduate, Mack Prioleau, didn’t comment on the laughter.  So much laughter.

Mack Prioleau – the fourth time wasn’t the charm.

So much muffled guffaws and squeals of delight of Prioleau’s teammates.  This was something Mack Prioleau pretended to sleep through.  So it was the continued loud squeals of sheer glee throughout the ongoing attack, and Mark Prioleau doing nothing, for thirty odd minutes, that got me. Mainly because the laughter began within three minutes of the rapists entering the room.

Mack Prioleau had four years to clean up his testimony.  But, exactly how does one “clean up” one’s lack of character?  If there is a way, Mack Prioleau certainly didn’t find in time to testify as to why he never acted after initially lifting his head, while listening to the gleeful sounds of a gang rape.  A gang-rape that included the sound of urinating on the victim, the sound of bottle squeezes on the victim’s body, the sound of the victim being physically slapped during the gang’s prolonged gang rape.  All happening inches from Mack Prioleau. Who did nothing.

Per the UK Daily Mail, four years ago Mack Prioleau told the court that he awoke to sounds of porn, laughing and the men discussing sex and saw the woman face down in the dorm.

Four years ago Mack Prioleau said the victim didn’t make a sound.

Four years ago Mack Prioleau said he didn’t leave to get help or check on her well-being.

‘I was trying to sleep, trying to do whatever I could to block it out of my mind,’ Prioleau said. ‘After it quieted down, I looked down and saw the female on the bed below me.

Eventually, Prioleau said he left the room to stay with a friend and when he returned the next morning, he cleaned up vomit found in the dorm. He only told one friend about what he had witnessed.

‘At the time I was scared and uncomfortable,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know what to do.’

But that was then.  This is now.

Fast forward to the fourth trial: Mack’s grown.

But life goes on!  Four years later, Mack Prioleau’s become a world traveler.  Now, Mack Prioleau has all kinds of advice and tips for a plethora of situations!  Check him out.  From 10 Vital Tips for international traveling, to shopping to tips for beginner surfers. It seems Mack Prioleau can’t shut up! See all Mack’s tips at Mack Prioleau’s Presentations!

Mack’s living the high life.  See his personal, fun life at MackPrioleau.org

My guess was with four years worth of hindsight from world travels, Mack’s testimony might include something a bit more…apologetically reflective.  Boy was I wrong.

Prioleau said he didn’t feel pressure.  Then offered the same nothing burger as four years earlier. Based on his testimony, Mack Prioleau confirmed he’s as empty on the inside as ever.

Back to the post rape action

Shortly after the gang-rape, Coach Franklin called a meeting.  Told the players to “Anchor down.”  Shortly afterward, Franklin bolted from Vanderbilt University for a job back at the collegiate national hallmark for child sexual abuse. Penn State.  Irony?

Now, three trials and two convictions later, we’re baaaaaaack with the defense in the fourth trial.  Brandon Banks said he felt pressure.  Because he was little.  I am not making this up.

The Fourth trial and the fourth time the victim’s character puts them all to shame

The defense tried to make the case for I don’t know, a bullied, rapist?  Much was made of the size of everyone else.

Brandon Banks “He made me do it” defense.

Ladarius Banks, Brian Kimbrow, all testified Brandon Banks, (who was his high school football team’s captain) felt threatened by Brandon Vandenburg.  Banks was called “gay” for not wanting to participate in a gang-rape. Gay people were appalled by that.

Brandon Banks – might have a sense it’s not working.

Also, Banks was not drunk at the time, and had a girlfriend.

Prosecutor Jan Norman. Kicking ass through out.

Banks laughed.  Banks took pictures.  Banks, the preacher’s son and high school football captain, squeezed the bottle. Repeatedly.

Referring to the victim, unconscious and vomiting, Banks says he’d never seen anyone that sick before. Or that out-of-it. The inference was alcohol…(although most believed she was drugged.)

The “he made me do it” defense

While Banks mentioned his daddy was a preacher, he appeared not to have made the connection a lifetime of football discipline, including as team Captain, along with his father’s preaching – didn’t matter one little bit, Two minutes after Brandon Vandenburg told Banks to take the bottle and squeeze.  Nor did Banks refuse to take pictures of the unconscious woman he physically, sexually assaulted with an empty bottle.  Nor did he leave the room.  As Prosecutor Jan Norman noted, neither did Brandon Banks text anyone he felt “pressure.”

After testifying, Banks looked a little worse for the wear. He went to his chair.  He cried.

Boo hoo.

Detective Gish testified he found no texts citing a of fear of bullying.  Detective Gish did find more videos….and other incriminating evidence that in no way indicated Brandon Banks was worried about being bullied. 

Can you say something nice about Banks’ Defense attorney

Sure.  Given I once titled a column about the first trial, “Guilty – is it too soon to say “Malpractice” and

“The Malpractice Continues!”

Mark Scruggs, unlike prior counsel for the defendants; Brandon Banks’ attorney and former football player, was not criminally charged for financially exploiting a client during trial.  Also, unlike prior defense counsel, Scruggs did not lose his bar license.

Mark Scruggs – in fairness – he didn’t have much to work with

But Mark Scruggs was also corrected during his close for telling the jurors factually incorrect information.  Also, he recovered nicely.  But it was when Scruggs began with a background of the law, then mentioned the Magna Carta minutes in, that my thoughts went to Scruggs might have first bored the jurors, but a reference to the Magna Carta might have annoyed the heck out of them.

Update:  Scruggs called the verdict “inconsistent.”  Expected some guilty counts.  But Scruggs said Banks is still ready to fight on a motion for new trial, or appeal.  My initial thought was incorrect.  But likewise guess a Motion for a new trial will be shot down.  An appeal won’t fly.  Maybe Preacher Maurice Banks can visit Brandon more often.  The victim was in court.  Four down, one to go.

Brandon Banks with the single, remaining Defendant. It’s telling they remained good friends.

The judge commented the jurors looked tired.  Maybe they are tired of carrying the burden of four years of delay.  Imagine how the victim feels.