my immediate reaction was, whoa, like, what happened to you? >> tonight, on an all-new "20/20." the verdict is in. the party is over. the vanderbilt assault trial is finished. a victim so drunk, she can't remember. >> i can't tell. is that me? >> a crime that would have gone undetected except for shocking surveillance tapes. the camera suddenly covered up. >> the first thing that went through my mind, lord, i hope she's a very, very strong person for what we're going to show

her. >> the secret they thought they could hide. football players recording it, sharing it with buddies. the police interrogation tapes that cracked the case. and then, panic, as they try to destroy the evidence. >> seems like it couldn't be more brazen of a coverup. >> will the way you think of your kids at school ever be the same? the party is over. here now, david muir and elizabeth vargas. >> good evening, and you're about to hear and see exclusive new details, in the case making news as we're on the air tonight. it's a case that would horrify any parent. authorities say it could be playing out on any friday night, anywhere. >> and you'll see the

surveillance tapes right here. college athletes taking a clear leader into room 213. and what happened over the next 30 minutes would change young lives, forever. this story is stunning, and we're live tweeting and will host a live chat oat the end of the hour on facebook. but first, here's ryan smith. >> reporter: this week, a very sour note in music city, usa. a swift verdict in a high-profile trial that drove a stake right through the heart of the heartland. an explosive, headline-making case playing out in this courtroom for the past two weeks. details of events on a summer night -- one with an alcohol-fueled sex crime on a college campus. recorded, instead of reported,

as numerous bystanders encounter an incapacitated woman but do nothing to help her. >> about a half dozen individuals didn't intervene. >> you didn't report it to the head coach? >> i did not. >> you didn't report it to any soul on earth did you? >> i did not. >> reporter: the combination of indifference by some and indecency by others is about to change lives on this campus forever. while nashville is often called the capital of country music, it's earned one other moniker -- the athens of the south, because the city is home to at least 38 colleges and universities. and just a stone's throw from those honky-tonk bars and juke joints lies vanderbilt university, consistently ranked as one of the nation's top 20 schools. tony gonzalez is a reporter for "the tennessean," nashville's paper of record. when this story came across your desk, what was your reaction? >> well, i don't think we've seen a case quite like this here in nashville, just with the

level of the institution, the serious nature of these charges. from the beginning you knew that lives were probably going to be changed. >> reporter: it begins on a balmy night in june, brandon vandenburg -- the nation's number one junior college tight end -- is drinking with the victim at a popular bar, the tin roof. she's 21, he's 20 and the prize athlete of vanderbilt's recruiting class. >> he'd actually only been on campus a couple of weeks. >> reporter: brandon vandenberg was a star? >> yes, he had it all. he probably would have started the very first game day one on vanderbilt's football team. >> reporter: when did they first meet? >> on his recruiting visit, which i don't think they had known each other more than a couple of weeks when the event occurred. >> reporter: the female -- who works for the athletic department and is a member of the vanderbilt dance/spirit team -- meets the 6'6" all-american from palm desert,

california on a recruiting trip to vanderbilt and shows him around campus. and now that he's there, brandon and the young neuroscience student are having nights like this one. both had been drinking earlier with friends before meeting up. at the bar, the booze is flowing. the victim recalls a cinnamon whisky shot, a gin and tonic, and a california long island ice tea. >> people have been drinking on college campuses for decades. these are young adults. >> reporter: they leave the bar together in the early morning hours and share a cab to her place. but her house key doesn't work. so the football star comes up with a plan "b." >> brandon and she go to gillette hall in her car, brandon is driving. >> reporter: and an evening of casual fun moves to new venue -- his dorm. by the next morning, a sore body and a serious hangover are the only evidence of a night of excess. >> she woke up, she didn't know what happened. >> reporter: and that's where the story might have ended were it not for this broken door. it is an unrelated act of

vandalism that occurred over the weekend. when a maintenance worker alerts campus cops about it on monday, they go to the surveillance video looking for a culprit. what they find instead is a vanderbilt video like no other. >> they were reviewing hours and hours when they found, obviously, this alarming footage. >> so whoever broke that door broke this case open. >> reporter: in this exclusive security surveillance video -- obtained only by "20/20" -- we see brandon and his inebriated date pulling up to the dorm. >> when the car pulled up outside of the dorm, and the young woman was unconscious, essentially vandenburg asked for help to move her into the dorm. >> reporter: june 23rd, 2:32 a.m. while a police cruiser sits off in the near distance, the 20-year-old football player carries the young woman out of her black mercedes-benz and into gilette dorm. abc news is blurring the image

to protect the victim. brandon and his three commodore compatriots laughing and smiling. >> those were all members of the football team at that time. they all knew each other, at least a little bit. >> reporter: what's your interpretation of what he is doing at that point? >> there is no indication that there was any nefarious intent to get her to the room. there are students all over they are seeing walk into the front lobby of gillette, nobody says boo. >> reporter: for you it's not uncommon that these four young men would carry her upstairs and no one would say a thing? >> it didn't appear uncommon to any resident of gillette hall. >> reporter: then at 2:35 a.m., the woman is dragged out of the elevator and dumped on the hallway floor. cell phone pictures are taken of her as she lays on the ground. one student moves in for a close-up. she is then moved down the hall and into room 213. >> it looked like they were carrying a dead body. >> the surveillance footage shows that in the next half hour or so, the young woman ended up

back in the hallway. she was moved. she was dropped. >> reporter: shortly after 3:00 a.m., the victim has been inside room 213 for nearly half an hour with four men and a fifth who claims to have been sleeping. brandon -- now wearing red shorts -- walks out with a towel on his head and in a damning move throws it over a surveillance camera. later, all the players involved exit the room. and in fact, some exit the floor entirely, leaving brandon to figure out what to do next. he makes a phone call to other teammates and they run to his rescue. >> they were in complete cover up mode. >> he came to vanderbilt university and made it about two weeks before he got into an ordeal of a lifetime. >> reporter: an ordeal, the defense says, that could have been prevented. campus cops are in the area, but they are investigating another matter. >> they have 1,200 cameras all over the campus with apparently no one watching on the other end. >> reporter: what happened when they saw this footage?

what did the authorities do next? >> as i understand it, an investigation began immediately on campus that involved athletic staff, it involved the deans and other campus staff, and very quickly the city police got involved. >> reporter: that's where detectives chad gish and jason mayo of nashville police comes in. >> at the time, she knew absolutely nothing. she knew she knew she had gone out with friends the night before and that's it. >> typically in a case where the victim doesn't remember an alleged sexual assault, you're gonna have a really tough time getting a conviction. >> reporter: detectives know something went on in room 213, they just don't what. and they have yet to determine if brandon vandenburg was the victim's protector or predator. >> in her heart she truly believed that brandon vandenburg would never let anything happen to her. >> reporter: when we return -- inside the interrogation room. a battle for the truth. then -- a second video surfaces and even

grizzled detectives are stunned. >> it was atrocious. i tried my best to describe the images. but there's no words for it. >> reporter: stay with us. what should we name him? (gasps) can we keep him? -please? mom, can we keep him? ahh! (both) pleaaaase? new pet? get scrubbing bubbles. kill 99.9% of germs, and destroy dirt and grime. you only need scrubbing bubbles disinfecting cleaners for 100% problem solved. we work hard, so you don't have to. sc johnson - a family company. might be at the corner of "looking for a good deal" and if you have medicare part d, walgreens gets that you "sheesh, i wish i'd looked some more." that's why walgreens makes it easy to switch your prescriptions and save money. just stop by. and leave all the legwork to us.

switch your prescriptions to walgreens, where you could save even more on medicare part d with copays as low as zero dollars. at the corner of happy and healthy. (epic bring in your verizon or at&t bill, turn in your old phone, and we'll cut your rate plan in half. visit us online or visit a sprint store today. i discoverenew nivea in-shower to moisturizbody lotion. first i wash... then i apply it to my wet skin. it moisturizes instantly. and lasts for more than 24 hours. then i quickly rinse off. my skin feels amazingly smooth with no sticky feel. so, i get dressed... ..and go.

now i enjoy smooth skin every day. new nivea in-shower body lotion in the body lotion aisle. gotta get that bacon! yummy, crunchy, bacon bacon bacon there in that bag!

who wants a beggin' strip? me! i'd get it myself, but i don't have thumbs! mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm it's beggin'! mmm, i love you. (announcer) beggin' strips...there's no time like beggin' time.

"20/20" continues. once again, ryan smith. >> reporter: nashville, tennesee. the third coast, as it's often called. home to some of the country's biggest stars and best colleges. but there's evidence of misconduct in the music city. vanderbilt university's campus police have stumbled upon suspicious surveillance video. video never seen publicly before tonight. a young woman, helpless and half-clothed. in the clutches of football players being dragged unconscious through a dorm hallway after a night of hard drinking. but what actually happened? typical college hijinks or a crime? campus police go to the pros. digital forensics investigator chad gish and sex crimes detective jason mayo of the metro nashville police. their alarm bells go off

immediately. >> i didn't know what happened. but i thought something did happen. >> it didn't take a whole lot of investigation skills to understand what we thought we had on our hands at that point. >> reporter: and what did you think you had? >> sexual assault. >> reporter: mayo parades a who's who of vanderbilt students in for questioning, beginning with the 21-year-old woman in the video. the honor student has no memory of what happened after fireball shots and mixed drinks at the tin roof bar, and no recall of any assault. how often do you have a case where you're called about a victim, and not the victim coming to you about a possible sexual assault? >> i have never investigated an adult case where the victim didn't already at least suspect something. >> reporter: in their first meeting with the victim, detective mayo shows her screen grabs from the surveillance video. in addition to blurring the video, "20/20" is altering the young woman's voice. >> i can't tell. is that me? >> that is you. you're being carried in.

how much do you think you had to drink that night? >> i don't remember. >> you don't remember anything once you left the tin roof? >> right. >> until you woke up the next morning. >> right. >> when you woke up the next morning, you had no, there was no pain? >> i didn't have any pain. >> nothing to make you think that anything took place during the night? >> i felt really hung over, but i wasn't in any pain that would make me think i'd been assaulted. >> reporter: but detectives still suspect foul play. next step, identifying the four vanderbilt football players seen in the video. at the center of the storm, new recruit brandon vandenburg. he's been in a relationship with her. they were drinking together at the tin roof that night. with him are his teammates, 19-year-old brandon banks. 19-year-old nashville native cory batey and 18-year-old sophomore jaborian "tip" mckenzie.

all four are seen entering dorm room 213 with the woman, staying inside for 30 minutes. two days after the alleged are together again not for just think it's so they can get their stories straight. brandon banks is called up, but he's not biting. >> what was your involvement inside the room? >> i ain't touch that girl. other than moving her. >> who did touch her? >> i didn't see anything. >> i get what you are doing. sticking to the story and not wanting to sell out your teammate or snitch. if that's the story you want to stick with. roll those dice, buddy. because i'm telling you, it will end up bad for you. >> reporter: mayo also questions other players who were not in the room, but seen in the hallways at the dorm that night. they tell consistent accounts of seeing the unconscious college co-ed. >> what condition was she in when you saw her? >> she was passed out. >> basically, like her shirt, was stretched up, like right here.

>> she was naked. she was lying like she was dead. >> face down. >> it looked like she had been slapped on the butt. >> reporter: but mayo zeroes in on the conversations the kids had with brandon vandenburg that night. conversations that for star wide receiver and team leader chris boyd, sounded incriminating. >> his story kept changing. he kept talking and just going 100 miles per hour. i think he was in shock, didn't really know what to do. >> reporter: but commodores quarterback austin carta samuels tells police brandon vandenburg claimed he was blameless. >> did anything ever come up about that he was involved in any kind of sexual activity with her? >> no. he claimed that he didn't, over and over again. >> did he ever claim who did have sexual contact with her? >> he just alluded to other guys. he just said other guys. >> okay. >> reporter: austin says he also spoke to tip mckenizie . >> he told me that he was extremely scared just because he said that he had had no part in

anything that was going on in the room. and so, he just wanted to tell me that he hadn't done anything. >> reporter: football pal dillon van der wall says vandenburg pointed the finger at cory batey. >> okay, so brandon vandenburg is telling you that he tried to have sex with her, but was not able to. >> yeah. >> he wasn't able to have sex with her because he was so drunk. >> reporter: within hours of the alleged incident, sheepish whispers turn to rampant rumors spreading throughout the locker room. >> there was a bunch of different stuff flying around the team saying like, "they did this to her and they did that to her." it was just the most disturbing things i've ever heard. >> reporter: jake bernstein, a football player and the victim's ex-boyfriend, is appalled. >> that's when i got worried. that's when i told her, i was like, "something might have happened to you this weekend that you may have not recollected." >> reporter: but during her interview with police, the victim seems to be giving brandon the benefit of the doubt. >> my feeling is that brandon didn't do anything.

i'm really concerned that i think he was just trying to help me. i feel like he's getting in trouble for trying to help me. >> nobody's in trouble. >> i don't think he should have left me laying in the street or something. >> reporter: and she goes even further, telling police that the day after the alleged incident the couple had consexual sex. >> i've been seeing him. he's one of my -- i trust him. >> she didn't believe at that point she had been raped. >> no. in her heart, at that time, she truly believed that brandon vandenburg would never let anything happen to her. >> reporter: police suggest a rape kit even though it's past the recommended 72-hour limit. she reluctantly agrees. >> would you be willing to go around to the emergency room for a medical exam? >> would that tell me if something happened or not? >> it could. or it couldn't. >> reporter: the kit would provide no proof of an assault, but something else soon would. it turns out there are yet more

videos, discovered by the two detectives. but these were recorded inside room 213, and they will be the smoking guns in the case. when we come back, a treasure trove of digital evidence. and an incriminating google search, "can police retrieve deleted picture messages?" turns out they can. >> they're going to find all the videos, dude. >> reporter: stay with us. put pantene to the test. watch: when hair loses protein it splits and fails the needle test. but with pantene, the advanced pro-v formula helps prevent protein loss and stop split ends before they start. so your hair passes the test with ease. put pantene to the test. for hair so healthy you shine.

welcome to the most social car we've ever designed. the all-new nissan murano. nissan. innovation that excites. when you ache and haven't you're not you. tylenol® pm relieves pain and helps you fall fast asleep and stay asleep. we give you a better night. you're a better you all day. tylenol®. double coverage? no problem. triple covered? yes, please. for a limited time at pizza hut

get the triple cheese covered stuffed crust pizza. order a large for just $11.99. now that's game-changing flavor. only at pizza hut. that's yyeah.ew boss? well...your boss loves the beach. really? she's been to london, paris and her son plays baseball. you psychic? no. i speak pandora. he went to jared. celebrate life's unforgettable moments with a fabulous selection of pandora jewelry including these styles, exclusively at jared, the galleria of jewelry. telling her life's story with just a turn of the wrist. you're good. i know. that's why he went to jared. you fifteen percent or more on huh, fiftcar insurance.uld save yeah, everybody knows that. well, did you know that playing cards with kenny rogers gets old pretty fast? ♪ you got to know when to hold'em. ♪ ♪ know when to fold 'em. ♪ know when to walk away. ♪ know when to run. ♪ you never count your money,

♪ when you're sitting at the ta...♪ what? you get it? i get the gist, yeah. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. ♪you better pledge ♪ your allegiance♪ ♪you're not the only one ♪listen up forefathers ♪let them have some fun ♪some fun ♪some fun.

"20/20" continues, with the party's over. once more, ryan smith. >> reporter: nashville police have a problem. the vanderbilt senior they believe is a victim of a crime has no memory of what happened to her. surveillance video and interviews have led detectives to suspect rape. but they have no physical proof, no dna and no suspects coming forward with a confession. so what exactly happened inside dorm room 213? four football players, brandon vandenburg, cory batey, "tip"

mckenzie, and brandon banks, were alone with the woman for 30 minutes. when you spoke to these four men, did they say a rape had happened? >> no. >> reporter: so they said they were there but nothing happened. >> right. they truly thought, at that time, "they'll never figure this out. as long as we keep together, keep our mouth shut, they'll never figure this out." >> reporter: but a breakthrough is imminent, thanks to an admission by a couple of other players on the team. they've seen video from a cell phone of what took place inside that room. >> what did you see in the video? >> i noticed somebody laying there. >> it looked like a girl just laying on the ground. >> reporter: finding the videos, now the key to the case. >> we knew the videos were taken. we knew many videos were taken. and the investigation shifted at that point to, "let's put all of our effort right now into recovering the videos." >> reporter: police seize the phones and computers from the four men in the room. and it reveals a treasure trove of text messages, like this one from cory batey to a friend, a

day and a half after the incident. "the video is gone, right?" "nobody else knows besides you," and this one, "video deleted?" >> seems like it couldn't be more brazen of a cover-up. >> completely. >> "did you delete this? you delete that?" >> completely. >> reporter: and gish finds incriminating google searches on brandon vandenburg's phone. "can police retrieve deleted picture messages?" brandon has reason to worry, he knows that during the attack, he sent videos to two close friends back in his hometown of palm desert, california. four weeks after the incident, the detectives are on a plane. first stop, joey quizino, one of brandon's best friends since age 13. >> he couldn't believe that we were there. >> but he knew why we were there. >> reporter: he knew immediately. >> he knew. >> brandon sent you some text messages and a video. did you watch the video that he sent to you? >> i didn't. >> you didn't? >> no. >> reporter: but friend miles finley reluctantly admits he's seen it. >> phones don't lie, man. that's why we're here.

>> the video i got was just of this black dude playing with a girl on the floor. >> playing with a girl on the floor how? >> doing stuff between her legs. >> reporter: after seeing the video, finley warns brandon in a text. "she can call rape. delete that --" then some repulsive advice. "dog kick that -- out or gang bang her," "don't let her wake up." >> why did you say that? >> i wasn't being serious. >> when you see something going on like that and it's a rape maybe you should call the police. >> did that ever occur to you? maybe i should tell somebody about what i just seen? >> i knew it would come out. >> reporter: sounds like brandon does too. just 30 minutes after the incident, he phones that friend joey quizino and says -- >> i'm in deep -- you need to call me back. >> reporter: police say that what brandon and his friends did next was an attempted cover up. finley claims he dropped his phone in a pool. >> it was cracked. was time for a new iphone.

>> did you trade it in? tossed it in the trash? >> i just threw it out. >> reporter: quinzio claims his phone was stolen. >> okay. did you report your phone stolen to apple so they could shut it down? >> no. >> reporter: but it didn't matter. police find those elusive videos after all, backed up on quinzio's hard drive. his phone automatically synched the video to his computer. it's the nail in the coffin. >> hardest thing i probably ever had to look at. and i knew right then that all of the pieces were falling into place. >> there she is, being raped. we just recovered the worst nightmare for this victim. >> reporter: the videos show brandon banks taking intimate and inappropriate photos of her body, and banks and corey batey using their hands and even a water bottle to penetrate her. and according to investigators, brandon vandenburg is heard callously giggling and egging the others on.

all along, the four players have stuck to their plan -- deny, deny, deny. but what they don't know, players are turning on each other. brandon vandenburg agreed to call corey batey, with police recording the line. an attempt to get batey to confess. >> this [ bleep ] is bad dude. >> what did they say? >> dude, we are [ bleep ]. they got videos of everything. the videos that i took of you when i was in the room, you know. >> yeah. what do you mean? >> i'm pretty sure the video i took it didn't have you like having sex with her or nothing. but i have either you or banks [ bleep ] her. i don't know how much trouble you can get in for that [ bleep ]. >> reporter: batey keeps quiet in that call. but another player has broken rank. tip mckenzie has caved, and he's pointing his finger at his best friends corey batey and brandon banks. >> corey batey approaches the girl first as a joke.

he's clowning. he's drunk. he's like "get this on camera" he's messing with the girl. his hands down there like he is touching the girl in a sexual way. >> what was banks doing? >> banks had the bottle. >> if i'm understanding you right, the only people who did anything to her with a bottle or their hands are batey and banks? >> yes, ma'am. >> did vandenburg ever touch her or participate in the clowning, touching her or anything like that? >> i really don't think so. i'm not sure, but what i can remember, i don't think he did. >> reporter: that interview, and the videos, it's more than enough for prosecutors to make a case. >> once we saw the evidence, we were just appalled. >> reporter: vanderbilt has already kicked the four players off the football team and out of school. and august 9th, less than two months after the incident they are charged with rape. >> today marks day one of the trial. >> reporter: next, the trial.

contentious moments in the court. >> don't look over there. >> reporter: a controversial defense, blame it on the booze. >> blame it on the alcohol. >> reporter: and one of the defendants takes the stand and makes a shocking admission. >> as you just saw, the rumors are flying. several people saw the tape of the crime taking place. are you surprised? >> tell us on #abc2020. when we come back, one defe defendants and the victim taking the stand. we'll be back. and most importantly, ♪ an after-party. ♪ the 2015 corolla.

toyota. let's go places. behind eveis a story.rt... a story about finishing the race... no matter what the obstacles. about rebuilding the bond between a mother and a daughter. when you keep an open heart, amazing things happen. that's what the open hearts rhythm collection at kay jewelers is all about. the constant motion of the diamond catches light from every angle. right now, save up to 20% on all open hearts jewelry at kay. keep your heart open.... ...and love will always find its way in. ♪ every kiss begins with kay.

that's why she likes pick 5 from the pennsylvania lottery, they've given all your favorite numbers games new, simpler names. and for something really simple, play the all-new pick 2. easy to play. simple to say. thank you, cable for the slower internet upload speeds. for fewer video on demand titles. thank you cable, because if we never had you... ...we wouldn't know the incredible difference verizon fios makes. in customer satisfaction studies, fios is rated #1 in internet speed and reliability - 8 years running. plus, fios has the fastest wi-fi available from any provider. period. see the difference for yourself. get a fios triple play online at an amazing price, guaranteed for two full years! plus, get a $300 bonus with a two-year agreement.

that's why he likes pick 4 from the pennsylvania lottery, they've given all your favorite numbers games new, simpler names. and for something really simple, play the all-new pick 2. easy to play. simple to say. we return to "20/20" and the party's over. once again, ryan smith. >> reporter: on the lush green campus of vanderbilt university, the unspeakable happened to a 21-year-old coed. it breaks the heart of a veteran

detective to have to show her that horrific video of the assault. >> she was just so sure that brandon vandenburg would never let anything happen to her and then when i told her she was crushed. >> reporter: later, judgment day has finally arrived for cory batey and brandon vandenburg. the pair on trial for aggravated rape inside a dorm room. co-defendants tip mckenzie and brandon banks set to be tried at a later date. >> little did she know, that day that had such great promise for her turned into her worst nightmare. a nightmare she relived for a long time. and they almost got away with it. they almost succeeded. not only did they violate the laws of the state, the very principles of human decency. >> reporter: but in court, indecency and intoxication would take center stage.

>> how often did you do these pregame warm-up parties before you went out and hit the bars? >> this is something that everyone partakes probably before they go out. >> reporter: as vanderbilt student after student took the stand to testify. >> at any time did you attempt to speak to her? >> no, sir. >> at any time did you check on her welfare? >> no, sir. >> reporter: no one alerted anyone. not even the victim's roommate, lauren miller, who noticed something odd the morning after the incident. >> so when you came outside, your best friend's shoe was on the lawn and her car is gone. >> correct. >> so you call the police? >> i did not. i didn't report it because i didn't have a concern at the time. >> reporter: but once lauren saw her later that day, red flags went up. >> when i first saw her, my immediate reaction was like, "whoa, what happened to you?" >> reporter: she even took a photo of what looked like injuries on her friend's buttocks. >> you can clearly see some bruising on the cheek along with

what appears to be some sort of imprint on her butt. >> reporter: after days of listening to others talk about her, the victim herself testifies. "20/20" is altering her voice. >> i've never felt like that in my life. >> reporter: for 90 minutes, she keeps the courtroom riveted with details of a hazy night at the tin roof and an evening that comes to a halt after sipping a blue beverage. >> did you finish the blue drink? >> i don't remember finishing it. >> what's the next thing that you remember? >> i remember waking up in an unfamiliar room at eight something the next morning. >> reporter: in a fog, she texts brandon vandenburg to fill in the blanks. in brandon's version, he's the knight in shining armor. >> what did he tell you? >> i had gotten sick in his room and he had to spend the whole night taking care of me and that it was horrible. i apologized. i was embarrassed. >> reporter: brandon continued to lay on the guilt trip in texts.

on the stand, she read some of those messages. >> i didn't do anything. i feel like i'm getting blamed for stuff that didn't even happen. i just want to cry. me and a bunch of my teammates are probably going to get kicked off the team unless something changes. >> what was your main concern at that time? >> my main concern was protecting mr. vandenburg. >> reporter: the pair meet up later that day. >> how was he treating you? >> he was being extremely kind. nicer than usual. >> what happened next? >> he kissed me. then he initiated intercourse. >> and how long did that last? >> a few seconds. >> reporter: what the victim is never told by brandon is that he and three others were involved in her sexual assault and videotaped the encounter to share with friends. two months later, the victim will learn exactly how and who inflicted that pain when she watches the videos. >> were you able to identify yourself? >> that was me. >> the video you did view, did it have audio also?

>> it did. >> did you hear a voice? >> i heard a voice i recognized. >> and whose voice did you hear on the video? >> brandon vandenberg. >> the horrific laughing from brandon vanderburg and just the awful degrading tone that they were using. >> reporter: brandon's not laughing anymore. he's watching stoically as his childhood best friends from california testify against him about trying to cover up the cell phone video. joey quinzio saying he was pressured to lie to police. >> i was being coerced by mr. vandenburg and his attorney. >> reporter: and miles finley saying brandon destroyed evidence. >> did he tell you what happened to your cell phone? >> yes. >> what did he say after? >> he said he smashed it and threw it in the lake. >> reporter: during cross-examination brandon's defense attorney seized on some of miles' text messages during the assault. "dog kick that -- out or gang bang her.

don't let her wake up." >> you were giving him direction that night telling him what to do, weren't you, mr. finley? don't look at him. look up here at me. why are you looking over there? i'm over here. who are you looking at? >> sir, could you please calm down, because i'm not yelling at you. >> reporter: eventually he does calm down and attempts to make a distinction that his client did not penetrate the victim sexually and therefore should not be charged with rape. >> he is taking responsibility for what he did. he shouldn't have taken those photographs. he shouldn't have sent those photographs. that is what he did. what he shouldn't have to take responsibility for is what he didn't do. >> reporter: but for cory batey, the defense is tougher. remember, he was seen on video touching the victim. so his legal team throws a hail mary and calls cory himself to testify, something defendants

rarely do. cory grew up in the rough part of nashville and whose mom works at vanderbilt appears nervous but is sure to make eye contact with jurors. at times, his memory is razor-sharp, but ask him how photos of the victim got on his phone, his mind goes blank. >> i didn't know they got there. i didn't remember. i didn't know what had happened to the young lady in the pictures and i deleted them immediately. >> reporter: cory estimates he had between 14 and 22 alcoholic drinks that night and claims he still can't remember what happened on the night in question. >> what, if any, recollection today do you have of that event? >> not at all. >> reporter: but then, a stunning admission by the 20-year-old defendant. one that is likely to send him to prison. >> i was just drunk out of my mind. this is just something i would never do in my right state of mind. i'm just sorry.

>> do you take responsibility for your conduct? >> after seeing the footage, i do. it was me. >> reporter: and then he tries to speak directly to the victim. >> i would like to apologize. >> reporter: would that apology sway the jury's decision? when "20/20" returns the verdict is in. >> we the jury find cory batey -- >> reporter: and the jurors speak out. but a revelation just hours ago could change everything. could change everything. when we return. between th tortoise and the hare. my guest is stephanie branton. jerry, i'm going bunny. shocker. not really. you see, the hare's "thoracic limbs" allow for greater extension and elongated strides. look for the hare to leverage this advantage. ok.

whjewelry designer, neil lane, creates a ring for today's biggest stars... ...he designs it to look fabulous from every angle. and for his collection at kay jewelers... ...he does the exact. same. thing. yes! neil lane bridal. uniquely beautiful hand-crafted rings at kay, the number one jewelry store in america. my collection is vintage inspired... ...with flowing lines that evoke a sense of timelessness. because i want every woman to feel like a star. ♪ every kiss begins with kay. it's the time of year to bundle up. now at at&t, when you buy any smartphone for $0 down you can get an lg tablet for free. because two devices are cozier than one.

sorry. just day dreaming. about a classic truck with flames? yeah! custom chrome... right! and one more to complete the collection. (laughing) alright. how'd you know? you've got the new instant game from the pennsylvania lottery. yeah. $1,000,000 super cash, with top prizes of $1 million. (male announcer) want to see your dreams come to life? you could scratch your way to instant winning. the pennsylvania lottery. bring your dreams to life. "20/20" continues, with the party's over. here again, ryan smith. >> reporter: after 12 days and 25 witnesses, prosecutors and attorneys for the two football players accused of raping a fellow vanderbilt student making their final pitches to the jury.

>> you heard testimony from many witnesses, but you also have physical evidence. you have photographs. >> reporter: the most incontrovertible evidence against the defendants, photos and video of the assault, taken by the one prosecutors characterize as the mastermind, brandon vandenberg. >> he's laughing hysterically. you see him pull his phone out of his pocket because it is so funny. >> reporter: but brandon isn't laughing in court. he sits stone-faced as prosecutors present the laundry list of charges against him. >> five counts of aggravated rape, unlawful penetration, aggravated sexual battery, tampering with evidence. >> reporter: co-defendant cory batey's attorney suggests an "anything-goes" party culture on campus was the real culprit. >> what was the culture for corey batey? culture that encouraged underage drinking.

consume alcohol to the point that you pass out and can't remember. >> reporter: brandon vandenberg's attorney takes a different approach, claiming his client was a virtual bystander and only filmed his teammates assaulting the victim. >> i think mr. vandenberg's biggest defense is that is, "not i." and "i should not be held accountable for the actions of others." honestly. >> reporter: he maintains brandon's only crime was taking pictures. >> he took photographs that he never should have taken. he exercised judgment that was deplorable. he at least had the sense in the aftermath to be upset about it. >> reporter: after three hours of deliberation, the jury decides the fate of the two young men. >> in regards to mr. we find him guilty of aggravated

rape. >> reporter: an outcry from brandon vandenberg's father. his son's promising football career lost, along with his freedom. cory batey, on this, his 21st birthday, hangs his head as the jury foreman reads -- >> guilty of aggravated rape, sexual battery. >> reporter: found guilty on all charges, both men face decades in prison. they will be sentenced in early march. >> i quickly realized in such a short period of time so many young lives were utterly devastated. >> reporter: we spoke to three jurors the day after the verdicts. i asked them about that cell phone video. you all have seen something that i haven't seen. that is that video. tell me what your feelings were when they played that video for you. >> horrified. horrified and utterly disgusted. >> of course there's an emotional reaction the first time you see it. it sort of blows your mind how graphic and depraved it is.

>> i asked myself, how could they do this to that young lady. she is lifeless. there just can't be enough explanation to me. >> reporter: the chapter is not closed on some of the other players involved in that fateful night. two of the other football players in dorm room 213 that night, jaborian mckenzie and brandon banks, have been charged for the assault. their trial date has yet to be determined. brandon vandenberg's childhood friends in california, who he sent the videos to, were charged with tampering with evidence after he implored them to get rid of their cell phones. last week, joey quinzio pled guilty to a lesser misdemeanor. miles finley was offered the same plea agreement, but has so far declined it. and another vanderbilt football player, chris boyd, pled guilty to a misdemeanor for helping carry the unconscious victim into brandon's dorm room. >> i'm curious to know the people we saw on the surveillance video.

that saw the victim, totally unconscious. the multiple people who saw her. what are they thinking now? we are civilized human beings, the rules and responsibility of living in this society, you look out for your fellow man. >> reporter: the chancellor of vanderbilt released this statement yesterday that reads in part -- "i am deeply troubled that some students who knew or should have known about the incident that led to this week's convictions failed to take any positive action. this is not the culture at vanderbilt, and it must never be repeated." by the jury decision may not be the final world. there will be a motion to vacate the decision. "20/20" has learned that one of the jurors has failed to

disclose that they were a victim of rape. >> to not disclose that is not frivolous on the part of the defense. >> reporter: in a statement, the juror said that the past situation has zero similarity to the facts of the trial. nor did it have any factor in the decision of the case. >> do you think this will help other victims come forward and say, they heard her. maybe they'll hear me? >> i hope that the public and other victims see this as, okay, i can tell my story. people will believe me. >> reporter: the victim released

a statement thanking police and prosecutors for bringing them to justice. yesterday in her statement, she called you guys heroes. i know you're shaking your head. but i want to ask you, what are you thinking right now? >> i said, we are not your hero. you are our hero. >> exactly. >> reporter: three lives converged in 2013. brandon vandenburg, hoping to break into pro sports. corey batey, the pride of his family from tennessee. and the bright, beautiful neuroscience major that was their victim. all changed in a single night. >> incredible.

so many young lives changed forever. share your thoughts with (woman) caring for someone with alzheimer's means i am a lot of things. i am his guardian. i am his voice. so i asked about adding once-daily namenda xr® to his current treatment for moderate to severe alzheimer's. it works differently. when added to another alzheimer's treatment, like aricept®, it may improve overall function... and cognition. and may slow the worsening of symptoms for a while. (man) namenda xr doesn't change how the disease progresses. it shouldn't be taken by anyone allergic to memantine, or who's had a bad reaction to namenda xr or its ingredients. before starting treatment, tell their doctor if they have, or ever had a seizure disorder difficulty passing urine, liver,

kidney, or bladder problems, and about medications they're taking. certain medications, changes in diet, or medical conditions may affect the amount of namenda xr in the body... and may increase side effects. the most common side effects... are headache, diarrhea, and dizziness. (woman) all my life, he's protected me. now i am giving back. ask their doctor about adding... once-daily namenda xr.

that's our program for tonight. tune in tomorrow night for a special edition at 10:00 p.m. i'm elizabeth vargas. >> and i'm david muir. have a great weekend. up next another dusting of snow and plunging temperatures overnight, and consumer reporter nydia han uncovers a

multi layered scam targeting people who want a new puppy, next. the system we expect to bring us a winter storm on sunday night, it is still far to the west in arizona, and new mexico, but 48 hours from now, it will be here, and we believe it will cause a significant