New York prosecutors to reopen Cornell rape investigation

New York state prosecutors announced they will reopen a criminal inquiry into the alleged gang rape of a woman at Cornell University.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said the case will be presented to a grand jury and pursued “in the most objective and impartial means possible”. He added that the original 2022 investigation concluded the evidence did not meet the legal threshold for charges.

The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit on 16 September alleging she was drugged with ketamine and assaulted by seven men from Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity on the night of 19 October 2024. She reported the incident to Cornell University Police on 8 November 2024.

Cornell University responded that it supports the grand‑jury process and rejected claims that it failed to impose “consequential punishments” on those involved. The lawsuit also alleges the university allowed the accused to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays.

Van Houten noted that Doe’s sworn statement to police in November 2024 described the drug use and sexual activity as “voluntary, conscious and consensual”, differing from the allegations in the civil suit. He said he has contacted Doe and her lawyers for further information.

Source: BBC News. Photo: David Guerrero / Pexels.