Key facts
- New York state prosecutors are reopening a criminal inquiry into an alleged 2024 rape at Cornell University.
- The woman, Jane Doe, alleges she was drugged and assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity on October 19, 2024.
- Her initial statement to police described consensual drug use and sexual conduct, differing from her lawsuit's allegations.
- The Tompkins County District Attorney initially declined to press charges due to insufficient evidence.
- The woman's lawyer stated she was traumatized and unable to process the events immediately after the alleged assault.
- Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to lead a renewed investigation.
New York state prosecutors have reopened a criminal inquiry into an alleged rape at Cornell University in 2024, with Governor Kathy Hochul appointing Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor due to a loss of faith in the initial handling of the case.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit on September 16, alleging she was drugged and raped by seven men from Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity chapter on the night of October 19, 2024. She claims she was intoxicated and incapable of providing consent, having been given alcohol and the drug ketamine.
Jane Doe reported the incident to Cornell University Police on November 8, 2024. The lawsuit includes a Snapchat image purportedly from a fraternity group chat, where participants discussed a potential sexual encounter with her. The university stated that it imposed consequential punishments for those involved.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially concluded that evidence from Jane Doe's statement to authorities at the time of the assault did not meet the legal threshold for charges. He stated that her sworn statement in November 2024 described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary and consensual, differing from the lawsuit's allegations. Van Houten has since reached out to Jane Doe and her lawyers for more information to present to a grand jury.
Jane Doe's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said that in the days following the assault, she was traumatized and unable to function. He expressed surprise at the perceived lack of thorough investigation by law enforcement, stating he would have expected multiple interviews and evidence collection. Giuffra suggested the district attorney's statements indicated an attempt to excuse past failures.
Records from Cornell's internal disciplinary investigation, reviewed by the Associated Press, indicate the woman told investigators she "felt like bait" during the alleged gang rape. Some of the accused men disputed her account and denied involvement. The disciplinary panel found she initially consented to sex with one man and a friend before alleging she was pressured into taking substances.