Cornell student who gave police leads in alleged rape says she feels ‘betrayed’ over its handling
A student says she gave police screenshots and witness leads, while prosecutors later reopened the case and named New York’s attorney general as special prosecutor.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul named Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor last week to investigate the alleged gang rape of Jane Doe at Cornell University, prompting Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten to reopen his inquiry.
- Doe filed a lawsuit last month, claiming she was plied with alcohol and ketamine and gang-raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house the night of Oct. 19-20. Rumors of the alleged assault spread rapidly throughout Greek life at Cornell.
- Records obtained by NBC News showed Cornell police failed to refer witness interviews to the district attorney for charging decisions. A student witness criticized the department, saying she provided leads but felt her information was ignored.
- Chi Phi's national fraternity permanently expelled the chapter following the allegations. President Michael I. Kotlikoff called the allegations "deeply disturbing" and ordered an independent review of how the university handled the investigation.
- Van Houten previously determined the allegations did not warrant charges, citing a lack of criminality, but now faces Attorney General James's independent review. Cornell Rugby permanently removed players connected to the alleged events as the investigation proceeds.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Cornell student who tipped off police to sick Cornell 7 chats rips response: ‘We all feel betrayed’
Doe had reportedly gone over to Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house for a threesome that had "gone off the rails," the student recalled, adding that she remembered being "really horrified by it."
Cornell Tipster Says She Feels 'Betrayed'
A Cornell student who says she handed campus police key leads in an alleged 2024 gang rape case now says she and others feel "betrayed" over how seriously it was pursued. Speaking anonymously to NBC News , the student describes sharing a screenshot from a Chi Phi fraternity group chat that...
Cornell Rape Allegations Draw Scrutiny After Student Says Police Had Leads but 'It Wasn't Handled'
Cornell police received witness leads, anonymous tips and fraternity messages after an alleged assault at the Chi Phi house, but the information was not initially sent to the local prosecutor.
The student said she decided to contact police after seeing screenshots of a Chi Phi sorority group message on Snapchat and because "it just felt right."
An accusation of gang rape at the elite American university Cornell has sparked a new criminal investigation, criticism of the university's handling of the case, and a wave of solidarity on social media.
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