Report: PSU's James Franklin allegedly contacted the victim in Vanderbilt rape case

James Franklin allegedly contacted the victim in the Vanderbilt rape case, per a report. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

Penn State coach James Franklin allegedly contacted the victim of a sexual assault case involving four of his former players at Vanderbilt, the Tennessean in Nashville reported on Tuesday.

A motion filed by the defense attorneys for Brandon Vandenburg, one of four ex-Commodores charged in a rape case from last summer, included an allegation of interactions between Franklin, Dwight Galt -- a former Vanderbilt and current Penn State staffer -- and the alleged victim. According to the Tennessean:

Referring to records, the attorneys said the victim was contacted by Franklin and Galt during a medical examination four days after the rape to explain "that they cared about her because she assisted them with recruiting."

It went on to say that at some point, "Coach Franklin called her in for a private meeting and told her he wanted her to get fifteen pretty girls together and form a team to assist with the recruiting even though he knew it was against the rules. He added that all the other colleges did it."

Per the report, Franklin declined to comment when reached by phone on Tuesday.

The allegation is part of a 24-page motion in which defense attorneys asked a judge to "dismiss the case or reprimand prosecutors" because "crucial and material information to the defense of VANDENBURG was destroyed or not preserved." Attorneys allege the destruction of several pieces of evidence, including records of phone calls, text messages, social media posts, DNA test results and medical records.

The allegedly destroyed evidence, which is referenced in records but was not provided to the defense, included surveillance video, according to the report.

The defense said evidence provided through discovery included disks with empty file folders and video surveillance in which 55 percent of what was filmed on 14 campus cameras has been deleted.

Cory Batey

Brandon Banks

Chris Boyd