Cornell rape case: Transcript reveals rape claim police never shared with DA

A newly unearthed transcript from a 2024 interview with Cornell University police reveals why no criminal charges were filed after a student accused fraternity members of raping her. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in a civil lawsuit, told police she was "100% certain" she was raped, describing the encounter as becoming "coercive" after alcohol and drugs took effect.

Cornell police shared the full transcript with district attorney Tompkins County Matthew Van Houten, but Van Houten said he had not seen it before deciding not to bring charges. The case has reignited debate over New York's "voluntary intoxication loophole" - the legal defense that if a victim was intoxicated, their inability to consent may not count.