Cornell University Student Asserts Gang Rape Accusation After Text Apology
A former Cornell University student who alleges she was gang raped at a 2024 fraternity party is pursuing a civil lawsuit and prompted a reopened criminal inquiry, according to court and university records detailed in media reports. The case centers on an October 19, 2024, gathering at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, where the sophomore student states she took ketamine before being assaulted by multiple men.
The events triggered intense scrutiny across the Ivy League campus, leading to the indefinite suspension of the Chi Phi fraternity and sparking public demands for institutional accountability. While local prosecutors initially declined to file criminal charges, newly surfaced legal documents and police interview transcripts have prompted District Attorney Matthew Van Houten to re-examine the case.
Text Messages Document Shift From Confusion to Assault Allegation
Records from Cornell University’s private investigation outline a timeline of shifting perceptions by the accuser in the weeks following the party.
The day following the party, one of the accused fraternity brothers sent the woman a text message apologizing for “how things went down the other night” and expressing regret that he and a fellow brother were too intoxicated to stop things from getting out of hand. The woman replied that “at the end of the day non of the sexual stuff was illegal” and that she liked being with the two men.
By October 23, 2024, the woman grew distraught after discovering an online forum post about campus Greek life that asserted Chi Phi brothers had gang raped a sophomore. She later told investigators that the post marked the first time the narrative changed from viewing herself as an embarrassment to recognizing the event as an assault. On November 3, 2024, she texted the fraternity brother to state that 90% of the encounter was non-consensual due to the administration of ketamine.
Prosecutor Reviews Case After Student Reports Rape
The student formally reported the incident to Cornell campus police on October 24, 2024, and participated in follow-up interviews on November 14 and November 15, 2024. According to a transcript obtained by CBS New York, she told investigators she could say with 100% confidence that she was raped.
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to bring criminal charges, stating that the woman’s first account to police lacked allegations that she was drugged against her will or incapacitated beyond the ability to consent. Following the public release of the police interview details, Van Houten stated he would reopen the investigation based on new information contained in the woman’s lawsuit, which identifies her using the pseudonym Jane Doe.
Student Government Demands Accountability as Civil Lawsuit Names Defendants
Cornell’s student government organized a public forum on sexual violence to provide a platform for students to discuss campus safety and demand institutional accountability. While Cornell confirmed the indefinite suspension of the Chi Phi fraternity and the discipline or expulsion of several students, university officials declined to provide specific disciplinary details due to student privacy regulations.
The civil lawsuit names seven men accused of participating in the assault, alongside the university, the fraternity, and other entities. Legal representatives for two of the accused men denied any participation in a sexual assault, with one lawyer stating his client neither touched the woman nor engaged in drug use. Attempts by The Associated Press to reach the remaining defendants were unsuccessful.
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