Prosecutors reopen inquiry into alleged 2024 rape at Cornell University
publishers 42articles 43first reported 28 Sep, 10:32 UTCdeveloping since 28 Sep · 4 editions
New York prosecutors have reopened an investigation into an alleged 2024 gang rape at Cornell University after a former student filed a civil lawsuit this month.
The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges that seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity drugged her with ketamine and sexually assaulted her at a fraternity house on Oct. 19, 2024. Her lawsuit says she was intoxicated and incapable of consenting. She reported the incident to Cornell University Police on Nov. 8, 2024.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said Monday that his office would present the case to a grand jury after determining the appropriate potential charges. He said prosecutors initially declined to bring charges because the woman’s 2024 statement did not meet the necessary legal threshold.
Van Houten said that statement described her drug use and sexual activity as voluntary, conscious and consensual, differing from the allegations in her lawsuit. He also acknowledged that sexual-assault victims can take years to process what happened. Her attorney said she had been traumatized and unable to accept the alleged assault in the days afterward.
Cornell said it supports presenting the case to a grand jury and rejected suggestions that it failed to impose consequential punishments. France 24 reported that the university closed the fraternity and expelled several students. The lawsuit accuses Cornell of failing to punish those responsible adequately.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 42
- Source articles
- 43
- Given to the writer
- 8, 2 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 24 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →