In 2024, New York prosecutors announced a reopening of an investigation regarding an alleged rape case involving Cornell University students. The alleged victim, known as Jane Doe, recently filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of New York. She claims that in October 2024, several men at a Cornell fraternity house drugged and raped her for over four hours.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten shared in a nine-page statement that they are working to reexamine the case. If deemed appropriate, his office will present the case to a grand jury. To manage the process, Van Houten assigned a senior prosecutor with experience in sex crimes to start preparations.
Cornell University responded by expressing support for the investigation while defending its actions from two years ago. Kyle Kimball, Cornell’s vice president for university relations, stated that the school conducted a thorough Title IX investigation. This process lasted several months but ended without criminal charges. However, a hearing panel did issue expulsions and suspensions based on the evidence presented.
The Xi chapter of Chi Phi fraternity, involving the accused students, was banned from the campus after the allegations came to light two years ago. Jane Doe has taken legal action against seven individuals, the fraternity, Cornell University, and others. Her attorneys have yet to comment.
After Doe’s civil lawsuit, the case saw significant attention on social media. In response to public pressure, Van Houten explained the discrepancies between current claims and Doe’s previous sworn statement. According to Van Houten, her 2024 statement described her actions as voluntary and consensual without mentioning drugging or gang rape.
Van Houten further stated that his office was not informed about the inaccuracies in Doe’s original statement nor contacted to reconsider their decision. He has since reached out to Doe’s attorneys to clarify this discrepancy.