Tompkins County’s District Attorney plans to reopen a 2024 allegation of gang rape at Cornell University in Ithaca after a female student identified only as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit this month against seven male members of a fraternity, Cornell and others.
The woman alleges that after having drinks in Ithaca, she attended a party at the Chi Phi fraternity, where she was given more alcohol and coerced to use ketamine. A text chat told frat members that a woman was available for sex.
Jane Doe’s lawyer has alleged that only two of the seven were expelled, with the others reinstated after writing essays. Jane Doe dropped out of Cornell.
ABC News reports Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten blamed Cornell University police for doing an incomplete investigation, noting his office was not made aware of the text chat. His office did not prosecute at the time, believing Jane Doe’s actions were voluntary.
Van Houten told ABC News that he intends to present the case to a Tompkins County grand jury.
“We want to reexamine whether there's additional evidence that we were not aware of in November of 2024, that exists now that would change our assessment of the case and would result in the grand jury finding that there was criminal conduct,” he said.
In a statement, Cornell University said its punishments were in line with university policy.
Speaking in Ithaca Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D- N.Y.) said the policy is the problem.
"The culture of rape, sexual assault and pedophilia is protected in elite institutions across the inunied states, including Cornell University in this instance," she said.
Ocasio-Cortez recalled being groped within ten seconds of walking in to her first college party, later seeing at other parties young men taking advantage of women incapacitated by drugs or alcohol. She said the country is sick and tired of morally bankrupt leadership.
"The fact that she had to lose her education and those men were protected by an institution and granted an ivy league degree as a reward? Never again. Never again.
Ocasio-Cortez spoke in Ithaca Sunday as part of a tour called “Students vs Billionaires,” to urge young people to register to vote and to campaign actively for candidates.
