Cornell Assault Investigation Reopened
New York prosecutors reopen Cornell fraternity sexual assault investigation for grand jury review
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New York prosecutors have reopened an investigation into a former Cornell University student’s allegation that seven Chi Phi fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted her for hours at the fraternity house in October 2024. Identified as Jane Doe, she says she was pressured to take ketamine and cites a Snapchat message allegedly inviting fraternity members upstairs; the allegations have not been proven, and no criminal charges have been filed. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten plans to present the case to a grand jury with Doe’s cooperation, saying prosecutors are assessing whether new evidence affects their earlier decision not to charge; her attorney disputes the DA’s account and says investigators failed to follow up on group-chat evidence provided in 2024. Doe has sued Cornell, the seven men and other parties, alleging the university allowed fraternity members to mitigate discipline by writing essays; Cornell says it addressed the matter internally, the fraternity remains barred from campus, and two members were expelled while others received lesser discipline. Attorneys for at least one accused man have denied wrongdoing or said investigators did not contact their client, and Doe’s attorney says she continues to struggle with trauma and has left the university.
Key Points
1
The former student was 20 at the time. According to the lawsuit, she had been drinking at her sorority and a nightclub before going alone to the fraternity house late on October 19, 2024; the alleged assaults continued until about 5:45 a.m.
2
The woman reportedly told university police about the alleged assaults about three weeks afterward, according to the complaint as described by CBS News.
3
The district attorney said the initial police account did not allege that the woman had been unknowingly drugged, forced to engage in sexual activity or rendered incapacitated; her lawyer disputes that description.
4
In a November 2024 statement, Cornell described the allegations of drug abuse and sexual violence at the Chi Phi house as “abhorrent” and said such behavior “cannot be tolerated within our community.”
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