US prosecutors reopen Cornell gang rape case after outcry

US prosecutors have reopened the investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University following a civil lawsuit alleging the school failed to properly punish the accused. The victim, who has not been named, claims she was drugged, assaulted, and raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024. Cornell closed the fraternity and temporarily suspended the students involved, with several later expelled.

District Attorney Matthew Van Houten of Tompkins County, New York, plans to file criminal charges against the seven men, reversing his decision not to prosecute in 2024. He stated that while the victim's testimony initially did not establish a lack of consent, the new allegations have prompted the decision to proceed with criminal charges.

Cornell's vice president of university relations, Kyle Kimball, supports the reopening of the investigation and rejects claims that the university did not impose consequential punishments for the accused. The civil lawsuit, which seeks financial damages from Cornell and the seven suspects, contains graphic details of the alleged assault and provides a screenshot of a Snapchat message inviting others to participate in the incident.

The lawsuit alleges that the university did not impose sufficient consequences for the accused, reigniting a debate over sexual assault on US campuses. Celebrities, including actress Florence Pugh and Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have expressed their outrage over the case, condemning the alleged culture of rape at elite institutions like Cornell.