The Cornell gang-rape allegations have come under renewed scrutiny after the accuser's attorney said his client was “misled” about the status of the criminal investigation following her report of an alleged 2024 assault at the Chi Phi fraternity house.

 The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, has alleged that multiple fraternity members sexually assaulted her after she was intoxicated and allegedly given ketamine. The men named in the case have denied wrongdoing or said the sexual activity was consensual.

Attorney Says Criminal Investigation Ended Quickly

Jane Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, told The Associated Press that he and his client believed Cornell police were continuing to investigate the allegations even though Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten had decided not to pursue criminal charges shortly after receiving a police summary.

Giuffra said he believed investigators were still gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. Instead, he later learned that the criminal inquiry had effectively ended.

Van Houten has said prosecutors and criminal investigators reviewed a six-page summary of Jane Doe's account and concluded that additional investigation was unnecessary at that point. He characterized the sexual activity and drug use as voluntary, conscious and consensual based on that summary.

Giuffra disputes that characterization, saying the summary omitted important portions of his client's account, including her statement that she was certain she had been raped, allegations of physical violence and information concerning a fraternity group-chat message.

Cornell's Internal Investigation

The Cornell investigation proceeded separately through the university's Title IX and disciplinary system.

According to recently reviewed records, Cornell conducted an extensive internal investigation involving more than 50 interviews with 32 witnesses. The university's process included testimony from Jane Doe and the fraternity members she accused, who provided sharply different accounts of the night in question.

Jane Doe testified that she had been pressured to consume alcohol and ketamine and that several men sexually assaulted her. She acknowledged gaps in her memory but told the university hearing panel that she believed she had been raped.

The accused men have disputed her account. Some said the sexual activity was consensual, while others maintained they were not involved in the sexual acts. Seven men are named in the civil lawsuit, and each has denied wrongdoing through investigators, public statements or attorneys.

Cornell's disciplinary proceedings ultimately resulted in two students being expelled and two others being suspended, according to ABC News' review of the university records. The Chi Phi chapter was also shut down in 2024.

Criminal Investigation Reopened Under Letitia James

The criminal investigation changed course after Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against seven Chi Phi members, Cornell University and other defendants.

Van Houten subsequently said he was reopening the criminal investigation. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul then removed the matter from his office and appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.

Hochul said she had lost confidence in the local handling of the case. James is now responsible for determining how the criminal investigation proceeds. No criminal charges have been filed against the men named in the allegations based on the reporting available for this article.

One of the accused men has since petitioned a court seeking James' removal, arguing that a social-media statement she made before her appointment demonstrated bias. James' office has declined to comment on that petition.

Sally Yates to Review Cornell's Response

The university itself is now facing a separate independent review.

Cornell's Board of Trustees has appointed former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to examine the university's handling of sexual-assault and sexual-harassment complaints, including its response to Jane Doe's allegations.

The review will examine Cornell's policies, disciplinary procedures and campus-police response, as well as the university's handling of the specific Chi Phi allegations.

The appointment followed growing student protests and criticism of Cornell's handling of the case.

Students Demand Answers

Cornell students have staged rallies, sit-ins and other demonstrations calling for greater accountability and changes to the university's sexual-assault procedures.

The controversy has expanded beyond the original allegations into questions about how universities, campus police, prosecutors and disciplinary systems should handle complicated sexual-assault cases.

The investigation also has generated a broader debate about the distinction between university disciplinary proceedings and criminal prosecutions. Cornell can impose disciplinary sanctions under its own policies, while prosecutors must determine whether the evidence meets the requirements for criminal charges under New York law.

At this stage, the allegations remain allegations, and the accused men are entitled to due process. The reopened criminal investigation under James and Cornell's independent review under Yates could provide additional findings about both the alleged assault and how authorities handled the case afterward.

Related Links on the Cornell Alleged Crime and Investigation

• PBS NewsHour: What the Cornell case reveals about sexual-assault allegations
• PBS NewsHour: Woman told Cornell investigators she “felt like bait”
• PBS NewsHour: Cornell president addresses alleged gang rape
• PBS NewsHour: New details intensify scrutiny of Cornell's handling
• PBS NewsHour: Cornell brings in Sally Yates for review
• AP: Cornell gang-rape accuser says she was misled about investigation

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