After rape conviction, former Vanderbilt player opens up on Dr. Phil

One week after he was convicted of raping an unconscious student, former Vanderbilt University football player Cory Batey sat down for a national television interview with Dr. Phil.

Daytime television personality Dr. Phil McGraw sat down with Batey, 21, at Nashville's Criminal Justice Center for about an hour Tuesday.

"His niche seems to be helping heal families, and this interview was not about Cory, it was about helping the healing to begin for everyone," said Worrick Robinson, Batey's attorney. "It was about, I think, a bigger picture in all of this ... the alcohol abuse going on, the culture argument, the culture."

Robinson said he was contacted by the TV show during trial, and eventually he and Batey agreed to the interview. Robinson said Batey wanted to prevent others from going down the same path Batey did. Robinson argued at trial that Batey was pressured by a culture of promiscuity, partying and peer-pressure.

"It's not going to happen overnight. I know that, and Cory knows that," Robinson said. "Hopefully the message from this is people can begin to heal, and it's a national problem that needs to be addressed and needs light shined on it."

WKRN, the ABC affiliate in Nashville, is reporting that the show will air at 3 p.m. Monday. The station also says Dr. Phil will appear Wednesday on "Good Morning America."

Batey and Brandon Vandenburg, both 21, were found guilty of a total of 16 counts on Jan. 27 after a 12-day trial. Vandenburg was not interviewed by Dr. Phil, Robinson said.

Batey's interview with Dr. Phil is the first time he's spoken to the media about the case.

Stacey Barchenger writes for The Tennessean.