New York prosecutors have reopened an investigation into an alleged October 2024 gang rape at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity house. The civil lawsuit, filed by a former student known as Jane Doe, has drawn intense public backlash, sharp criticism of campus police from Governor Kathy Hochul, and the appointment of Attorney General Letitia James to take charge of the investigation.
An upstate New York prosecutor reopened an investigation into the events at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where a civil lawsuit filed on Sept. 16 alleges a student was drugged and assaulted by seven men over several hours. The case has generated internet anger, drawing comparisons to a sexual assault trial in London, Ont., and prompting alumni threats to pull funding.
Lawsuit Details Chi Phi Fraternity House Assault
According to court documents viewed by CBC News, the incident began the night of Oct. 19, 2024. Jane Doe, who was 20 at the time, had been drinking with her sorority and at a nightclub before stumbling alone to the Chi Phi fraternity house at 11 p.m. to visit a friend and one of the accused.
Inside the house, she was given beer, and her friend proposed a threesome, to which she was too intoxicated to consent. One of the frat brothers sent a Snapchat message inviting other members to join them for free pussy.
Multiple members then entered the room, with one putting ketamine on his erect penis and telling her to snort it. The assault ended at 5:45 a.m.
Hochul and James Intervene in Investigation
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul launched criticism against the initial police investigation, calling it deeply flawed and describing the campus police’s handling as a failure.
Hochul pointed to interview transcripts showing the victim told police she was 100% confident
she had been raped, yet those details never made it into the account sent to prosecutors.
Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James to take charge of the investigation. The governor also called for closing New York’s voluntary intoxication exclusion,
a legal loophole that distinguishes between victims who were forced to become intoxicated versus those who chose to consume substances.
District Attorney Disputes Cornell Claims on Evidence Sharing
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced that his office would present the case to a grand jury for a possible indictment. Van Houten stated he had never seen the full transcript of interviews conducted by campus police and noted that his office had only received a signed shorter statement and a Snapchat screenshot initially.
Cornell University initially stated it had shared all investigatory information with prosecutors, later adjusting its statement to clarify it provided the accuser’s statement and Snapchat messages. While the university disputed the lawsuit’s characterization that it failed to punish the accused — noting the Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and barred from campus — a university spokesperson stated the university is committed to an independent external review of all aspects of how Cornell has handled this case.
Text Messages and Police Transcripts Show Accuser Distress
Newly revealed text message exchanges from October and November 2024 show Jane Doe expressing profound distress over rumors spreading about the events. By Oct. 30, she informed him she was uninvited from a Chi Phi event, writing, You guys aren’t my friends. You guys are just covering your own asses.
Transcripts obtained by CBS News New York from police interviews beginning Nov. 14 revealed complex sentiments regarding her initial consent, where she remarked I was pretty much okay with all of this,
before reiterating regarding later acts that she could state with 100% confidence I was raped.
The Tompkins County District Attorney will present evidence to a grand jury while Attorney General Letitia James leads the active criminal investigation.