New details have emerged from text messages, police transcripts, and university documents regarding a civil lawsuit filed by a former Cornell University student known as Jane Doe, who alleges she was gang-raped at a fraternity house in October 2024. Doe has filed a lawsuit against seven former fraternity brothers, Cornell University, and other entities, claiming they failed to protect her during the incident at the Chi Phi fraternity house. Although prosecutors initially did not bring charges, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten confirmed that the criminal investigation has now been reopened following the surfacing of new information and an interview transcript he stated he had never previously seen. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Cornell has agreed to hire outside counsel for an independent review, and state Attorney General Letitia James has been appointed to serve as a special prosecutor in the case. According to the lawsuit and investigative files, Doe spent the evening of October 19, 2024, drinking at a sorority house and local bars before going to the Chi Phi house around 11 p.m. She told investigators she initially engaged in consensual sexual activity with two acquaintances before the situation escalated. A Snapchat message sent from a fraternity account at 1:42 a.m. invited others upstairs, and Doe alleged she was given ketamine until she became incapacitated, leading to multiple men forcing sexual encounters while she was trapped under covers. In the days following the event, Doe exchanged messages with participants and friends, initially expressing confusion and processing the trauma slowly. On October 22, she visited Cornell Health for a urinary tract infection and mentioned the trauma to a medical professional, though she was not immediately referred for a rape kit. By the time she requested a rape kit at an Ithaca hospital on November 7, DNA evidence was no longer present. After discovering alarming comments on an online Greek life forum about a sophomore being gang-raped at Chi Phi, Doe realized the full scope of what had occurred and formally reported the assault to the Cornell University Police Department on November 8. This prompted the immediate suspension of the Chi Phi chapter and the temporary suspension of the seven accused men. An internal university disciplinary review subsequently resulted in two expulsions, two suspensions of at least two semesters, one graduation prior to punishment, and two findings of no responsibility for sexual misconduct. Doe ultimately withdrew from the university, and her legal team filed the civil complaint in September 2026. District Attorney Van Houten stated that the newly highlighted interview materials warrant an external examination, paving the way for the independent investigation by special prosecutor Letitia James.
Source: cbsnews.com
