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A judge Friday sentenced former Vanderbilt University football player Cory Batey to 15 years in prison, but said the man’s true punishment for raping an unconscious woman three years ago was a life sentence.
“It is one of the saddest cases that I have ever encountered,” Criminal Court Judge Monte Watkins said. “And I’ve been in the legal business for 32 years.”
The judge said he’s seen many cases involving young people who made bad decisions and had to weigh how his punishment would impact the victim, the defendant and their families.
“All of the defendants in this case basically have life sentences,” Watkins said. “After they get out of jail or prison they will be on the sex-offender registry for the rest of their lives. That’s a life sentence in and of itself.”
The prison term Watkins handed down was the minimum allowed by law. Batey, 22, must serve all 15 years.