What to know about Cornell's alleged frat house gang-rape case and the…
Prosecutors have reopened investigation after lawsuit filed by Jane Doe
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WARNING: This article may affect those who have
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it. It also contains vulgar language.
Alumni are threatening to pull funding, celebrities are
Alumni are threatening to pull funding, celebrities are lashing out and people are boycotting institutions associated with an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., currently igniting the internet.
The case came into the spotlight after the
The case came into the spotlight after the victim, known only as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit on Sept. 16, alleging the private Ivy League university protected the seven men, now dubbed "the Cornell 7." She claims they drugged and assaulted her over several hours at a frat house in October 2024.
The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court
The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court and viewed by CBC News, alleges the assault happened on campus at the Chi Phi Fraternity house, and that one of the frat brothers sent a Snapchat message inviting other members to join them for "free pussy."
It further claims that the accused only faced
It further claims that the accused only faced temporary suspensions and "were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays" to the university — a claim Cornell denies.
None of the fraternity members have been criminally
None of the fraternity members have been criminally charged. But the case has unleashed online fury, drawing comparisons to last year's Hockey Canada sexual assault trial in London, Ont., which saw all five players acquitted. On Monday, the Tompkins County district attorney announced he was reopening the investigation.
"Once we determine the appropriate charges, the case
"Once we determine the appropriate charges, the case will be prosecuted in the most objective and impartial means available — by testimony to the Tompkins County grand jury," district attorney Matthew Van Houten told CBC News in a written statement.
Cornell, in its own statement Monday, said it
Cornell, in its own statement Monday, said it supported the DA's decision for a criminal grand jury to hear the woman's claims, but disputed the lawsuit's allegations about how the university punished the accused.
"Any suggestion that the university did not impose
"Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," Kyle Kimball, vice-president for university relations, said in a statement posted online. The statement also said the on-campus Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus. Here's what to know about the case and why it's caused so much fury online.
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What to know about Cornell's alleged frat house gang-rape case and the so-called 'Cornell 7' | CBC News
Prosecutors have reopened investigation after lawsuit filed by Jane Doe
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Source: CBC News