NEW YORK: Prosecutors in Tompkins County, New York, have reopened an investigation into allegations that seven former Cornell University fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted a former student in 2024.
The decision comes after the former student, identified in a civil lawsuit as Jane Doe, filed a 101-page complaint in New York Supreme Court earlier this month. The lawsuit has renewed public attention on the case and prompted prosecutors to review evidence that they say differs significantly from what was examined during the original investigation.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten told ABC News that prosecutors are considering presenting the case to a grand jury if additional evidence supports possible criminal charges.
Van Houten said his office intends to present the matter to the grand jury with Jane Doe's cooperation. He also acknowledged that the initial review in late 2024 relied heavily on Cornell University Police and that prosecutors had not independently investigated the allegations at that time.
One issue now under review is a Snapchat group chat referenced in the civil complaint. According to the lawsuit, a member of the Chi Phi fraternity allegedly sent a message to a group chat inviting others to participate in the alleged assault. Prosecutors said this material had not previously been provided to them.
Jane Doe's attorney, Thomas P. Giuffra, disputed that account. He said investigators had received what he described as critical evidence but failed to conduct a trauma-informed follow-up interview with his client.
The civil lawsuit alleges that the incident began after Jane Doe arrived at the Chi Phi fraternity house following a night out with friends in October 2024. The complaint claims she was pressured into consuming drugs and alcohol and was subsequently sexually assaulted by multiple men while she was incapacitated.
The allegations remain unproven, and no criminal charges against the seven named individuals have been established through the reopened investigation.
The lawsuit also alleges that Cornell took disciplinary action against the students involved. According to the complaint, two of the seven accused students were expelled, while others received lesser disciplinary sanctions. Jane Doe later withdrew from Cornell.
Cornell University has said that it investigated the allegations through its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct in accordance with university policies. The university also said the Xi chapter of Chi Phi remains barred from campus.
Cornell has cited federal privacy laws in declining to discuss disciplinary actions involving individual students.
The case has attracted wider public attention, including comments from actress Florence Pugh and other public figures following the filing of the lawsuit.
The renewed investigation will now focus on whether the evidence described in the civil complaint, along with any additional material obtained by prosecutors, could support criminal charges.
The case also raises questions about how allegations of sexual assault involving university students are initially investigated and the role of specially trained investigators in interviewing alleged survivors.
For now, prosecutors have not announced any charges. The next significant step could come if the district attorney presents the matter to a Tompkins County grand jury for consideration.
Reader Comments 0