New York prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into allegations that a former Cornell University student was sexually assaulted by several members of the university’s Chi Phi fraternity in 2024. The investigation was reopened after the woman, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell and seven fraternity members earlier this month.
According to the lawsuit, the woman was 20 years old at the time of the alleged incident and says she was unable to consent during the assault. She reported the incident to Cornell University Police in November 2024. Prosecutors did not bring criminal charges at the time, saying that the information in her original statement did not meet the legal threshold for prosecution.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has now said his office will reexamine the evidence and present the case to a grand jury. He noted that the allegations in the recent lawsuit differ significantly from the woman’s original statement to police. Her attorney disputes this characterization and argues that the initial investigation was not sufficiently thorough.
Cornell said it takes allegations of sexual violence seriously and conducted its own investigations. The university stated that disciplinary proceedings resulted in sanctions including expulsions and suspensions, while the Chi Phi chapter remains barred from campus. Attorneys for some of the accused have denied the allegations.
The reopened investigation will determine whether the evidence supports criminal charges. The case has also renewed national discussion about how universities and law enforcement respond to allegations of sexual assault.
