Vandy rape case filing: Florida woman bought drinks for players

A Florida woman provided an open bar tab for Vanderbilt University football players, according to a new court filing, painting a picture of free booze and — at least in one case — cash for student-athletes.

The filing, submitted to the court Monday afternoon by attorneys for Brandon Vandenburg, places a Florida woman at the center of an ongoing party, one where an open bar tab meant free drinks for players and a student whose unconscious, videotaped rape on June 23, 2013, led to the arrest of Vandenburg and three others. The new filing also provides new details about potential DNA evidence in the case and the victim's actions after police began investigating.

The Florida woman, Angela Gentry of West Palm Beach, Fla., said she had met Vandenburg once but denied knowing him. She denied regularly buying drinks for athletes but said it had may have happened on occasion. She said she never bought a drink for the alleged victim in the rape case.

"Why did my name get brought up in the first place?" she said. "I've never met that girl (the victim), either. I've never even seen her before."

The filing is part of an effort by Vandenburg's attorneys to convince a judge that prosecutors have destroyed or withheld evidence that could prove his innocence.

"We've alleged all along from the start of this that the prosecution has held back evidence that they don't want to see that's exculpatory," said one of Vandenburg's attorneys, Albert Perez Jr. "This latest reply that we filed shows that."

Vandenburg, 20, from Indio, Calif.; Cory Batey, 19, of Nashville; Brandon Eric Banks, 19, from Brandywine, Md.; and Jaborian McKenzie, 19, from Woodville, Miss., are each charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg also is charged with one count of unlawful photography and tampering with evidence.

All four have pleaded not guilty and are free on bonds ranging from $50,000 to $350,000.

The filing includes summaries of interviews with multiple students, who all point to an older woman named "Angie" who was known to give free drinks to football players at the Tin Roof. Investigators briefly questioned Gentry, who attended Florida State University but occasionally spends time in Nashville with her family.

New Boyd allegation

The new filing mentions evidence discs submitted to the court that it says show the woman was a regular at the Tin Roof bar who "is known to buy drinks for all of the football players."

"The alleged victim stated on Disk 8, that GENTRY gave Chris Boyd (BOYD) $500 to purchase alcohol," the filing says, referring to one disc containing evidence about Boyd, a former Vanderbilt wide receiver. Later, the filing says, "GENTRY bought drinks that night for the alleged victim, which led to the alleged victim's intoxication."

If Gentry bought drinks for players, such gifts could violate NCAA rules if the recipients continued to play.

Gentry, 48, said both accusations are untrue. She said she was friends with football players and likely paid for a drink here or there for them, but didn't regularly buy drinks specifically for athletes.

"I didn't know anything about NCAA rules or regulations," she said. "I used to buy shots for my friends. I'm not going to say some of my friends didn't pick the shots up."

She said she only met Vandenburg once, when he showed up uninvited at a party. She did say she was friends with Boyd, who pleaded guilty last year to the attempted cover-up of the rape and was removed from the football team, but she denied giving him money.

"I have never given Chris Boyd a single dollar. Ever," she said. "I didn't even speak with Boyd that night."

Boyd on Monday was participating in a mini-camp with the Dallas Cowboys, who signed him as a free agent in May. His attorney and agent, Christ Turnage, declined to respond to the new filing.

"We're not going to have any comment," Turnage said.

Vanderbilt last July banned all athletes from the Tin Roof because of concerns about free drinks and possible NCAA rule violations, according to Vanderbilt Athletic Director David Williams. On Monday, Williams said he had never heard of Gentry or the accusations in the court filing.

"I don't know anything about that," he said. "I think you need to check with our legal people on that."

Other Vanderbilt officials declined to comment on the new filing.

Missing evidence

Monday's filing also contained details about evidence Vandenburg's attorneys say has been withheld. They said they've only received 47 of 27,925 text messages on the victim's phones. Missing from those 47, they say, are text messages allegedly sent by former Coach James Franklin to the victim as she was having a rape examination.

The filing also says the results of DNA tests came back with "DNA found of two unknown males on the alleged victim's clothing" — results that don't implicate Vandenburg or anyone else known to have been in contact with the victim the day of the attack. The police exhibit they cite notes that some of the results are inconclusive.

Ed Yarbrough, attorney for the victim, said he had no comment about the filing.

The filing comes in advance of a hearing scheduled for Monday at which Vandenburg's attorneys are set to argue that the charges against him should be dismissed because of prosecutorial misconduct. Prosecutors have said they have turned over all pertinent evidence and that there has been no misconduct.

Prosecutors on Monday said they plan to respond to the allegations at next Monday's hearing.

Reach Brian Haas at 615-726-8968 and on Twitter @brianhaas.