New York state prosecutors have announced the reopening of a criminal inquiry into the alleged rape of a woman at Cornell University in 2024. The woman, referred to in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit on September 16 alleging she was drugged and raped by multiple individuals at a fraternity house on campus.
Details of the Allegation
According to Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, the case will be prosecuted through a grand jury to ensure an objective and impartial process. He stated, "Once we determine the appropriate charges, the case will be prosecuted in the most objective and impartial means possible."
Cornell University has expressed support for the case being brought before a grand jury, but refuted claims that it failed to impose significant punishments on those involved, stating, "any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false."
The Incident
In her lawsuit, Jane Doe alleges that on the night of October 19, 2024, she was assaulted by seven men from Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity. She claims the incident involved alcohol and the drug ketamine, and that she was intoxicated and unable to provide consent. Jane Doe reported the incident to Cornell University Police on November 8, 2024.
The lawsuit includes an image purportedly from a Snapchat fraternity group chat, where a participant crudely mentioned the potential for a sexual encounter with Jane Doe.
Previous Investigations
Van Houten noted that his office previously determined that evidence from Jane Doe's statement did not meet the legal threshold for charges. He reached out to her and her lawyers for more information as he prepared to present the case to a grand jury. He stated, "Jane Doe's sworn statement in November of 2024 did not allege that she was drugged against her will or gang raped."
