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What Brandon Vandenburg Has Said Vs What's Known

Posted at 10:37 PM, May 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-23 23:46:06-04

Brandon Vandenburg tries to keep a low profile, but in three weeks he'll be back before the cameras standing trial in the Vanderbilt rape case retrial.

Since his indictment three years ago Vandenburg's sat for media interviews only with Nick Beres; So we decided to revisit some of what Vandenburg said, and -- on the eve of his trial --  puts his words up against what we now know about this high profile case.

This was Brandon Vandenburg not long after his criminal indictment three years ago. "I think I'm being railroaded," said Vandenburg.

He said he did not rape an unconscious woman in a Vanderbilt dorm. "No, I'm completely innocent."

A jury did convict both Vandenburg and Cory Batey last year, but, juror misconduct forced the judge to throw out those verdicts.

Batey just stood trial and was convicted again. Now Vandenburg goes next month. "The fact he was convicted and there was a mistrial has zero bearing on the current case. This is a brand new jury," said Newschannel5 legal analyst Nick Leonardo.

Vandenburg has long maintained he committed no crime. He insists he's a good person.

"I've been an outstanding citizen. A strong Christian and raised right by my family with a high level of character and never got in trouble in my whole life," said Vandenburg.

But since we first sat down with Vandenburg for a series of exclusive interviews in 2013 and 14 we've learned much more about the case against him.

For instance, prosecutors say it's his cellphone that recorded the sexual assault. "I think we will see them paint Vandenburg as the ringleader and to show he was the bad guy. His room, his girlfriend and his cellphone," said Leonardo.

"Sometimes I get down. I think anybody would with these allegations," said Vandenburg.

During the first trial others took the stand testifying for the prosecution against Vandenburg. Back in 2014 he said some had betrayed him. "People who I trusted have turned against me or lied to me."

The jury at Vandenburg's next trial will hear much of the same testimony. They'll see the same disturbing videos. Will they reach the same verdict?

"I'm innocent and I'm going to fight that to the very end," said Vandenburg.

The end -- one way or the other -- will come soon. Vandenburg's trial is set to begin June 13th. Vandenburg remains free on bond tonight living with his family in California.

Newschannel 5 will have gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Vanderbilt Rape Trial both streaming video and on Newschannel5.com.