US District Attorney Reopens Sexual Violence Case from Cornell University

Prosecutors in New York have reopened an investigation into allegations that a former Cornell University student was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members in 2024.

The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office says the case is being reconsidered following a civil lawsuit filed earlier this month by the woman against Cornell University and seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges that she was sexually assaulted at the fraternity house in October 2024. No criminal charges were filed following the initial investigation.

District Attorney Matthew Van Houten says his office’s 2024 decision was based on the woman’s sworn statement to police at the time, which he says characterized her drug use and sexual activity as voluntary and consensual. Van Houten says the allegations outlined in the recent civil lawsuit differ significantly from the account provided during the initial investigation. He says investigators will now examine the allegations in the lawsuit, along with any new evidence, before presenting the case to a grand jury. The grand jury will determine whether criminal charges should be brought.

The woman’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, disputes the district attorney’s characterization of her initial report. He says investigators failed to properly follow up with his client after she reported the alleged assault. Giuffra has welcomed the decision to reopen the investigation, while criticizing the handling of the case when it was first reported.

Cornell University says it supports the district attorney’s decision and previously conducted its own Title IX investigation into the allegations. The university says a hearing panel imposed sanctions against students involved, including suspensions and expulsions, and that the Chi Phi fraternity chapter remains barred from campus.

The seven former fraternity members named in the civil lawsuit have not been criminally charged. Some of those accused have denied the allegations through their attorneys. The district attorney says his office has begun communicating with the woman and her attorneys and will present the case to a Tompkins County grand jury once investigators determine what charges may be appropriate.