US prosecutors reopen Cornell gang rape case after outcry

US prosecutors have reopened an investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University following public outcry over the university's handling of the case. The incident, which occurred in 2024, involves seven men allegedly drugging and raping a woman during a fraternity event. Cornell initially closed the Chi Phi fraternity and temporarily suspended the accused students, with several later being expelled.

District Attorney Matthew Van Houten of Tompkins County in New York plans to file criminal charges against the seven men, stating that his office decided to prosecute after considering new evidence presented in a recent civil lawsuit. Cornell's vice president of university relations, Kyle Kimball, supports the decision to reinvestigate the case and rejects claims that the suspects were offered the opportunity to mitigate their conduct through essay writing.

The civil lawsuit, filed by the alleged victim, alleges severe emotional and psychological distress caused by the incident. Notably, the lawsuit includes a screenshot from a Snapchat group message advertising "free pussy" during the assault, allegedly inviting other fraternity members to participate. British actress Florence Pugh expressed her anger about the case on social media, criticizing the culture of rape at elite institutions and the leniency shown to the accused.

Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also condemned the culture of sexual assault at elite universities, emphasizing the loss of education suffered by the survivor and the false sense of reward given to the perpetrators by the institution.