New York's governor removes district attorney from Cornell rape allegations case, appoints special prosecutor

According to the Tompkins County District Attorney, they have reopened their investigation into a 2024 incident at Cornell University. A former undergraduate student, identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit alleging she was drugged and raped by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. The timeline of key events in the case, as reported by ABC News, includes several significant dates and actions.

In October 2024, a person overdosed on ketamine at the Chi Phi fraternity house, according to a report prepared by Cornell University from its internal investigation hearings. Jane Doe claims she was invited to the party by one of the alleged attackers and had already consumed alcohol at her sorority house and two bars before arriving at the fraternity house.

She alleges that she was drugged and gang-raped by seven men during the party, one of whom allegedly forced her to ingest ketamine. On October 23, Jane Doe exchanged text messages with the man who invited her to the party, expressing concern about her reputation being destroyed and her being uninvited from later Chi Phi events.

On November 7, Male No. 1, one of the accused, wrote to Jane Doe that he was concerned about being labeled an assaulter, to which she replied that she had not said anything and acknowledged rumors of gang rape. On November 8, Jane Doe filed a report with the Cornell University police, describing the alleged sexual incident. The university placed the Chi Phi fraternity chapter on temporary suspension and issued temporary suspensions to several students involved.

Cornell Interim President Michael Kotlikoff stated that "serious and deeply disturbing allegations of drug abuse and sexual violence at the Chi Phi fraternity house" had been made, and campus police were pursuing a criminal investigation. However, prosecutors decided not to file charges. In January 2025, Cornell initiated a Title IX investigation in response to Jane Doe's formal complaint, and a Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault was established to address and prevent sexual assault on campus.