The night of Oct. 19 to 20, 2024, a gathering at the Chi Phi fraternity house on Cornell University’s campus ended in a claim of a multi-hour assault involving a 20-year-old student known only as Jane Doe. She reported that she had been given ketamine, alcohol and marijuana, and that seven fraternity members pressured her into non-consensual sexual activity. The incident set off a series of police interviews, anonymous tips, and a later civil lawsuit filed against the university and the brothers.
Timeline of the police and district-attorney actions
Cornell University Police (CUPD) began documenting witness statements soon after the party. Within the first weeks of the two-year investigation, investigators recorded interviews and received an anonymous Snapchat thread that mentioned “free p—-” in the alumni room where the alleged threesome began. On Nov. 7, 2024, Jane Doe underwent a forensic sexual-assault exam, but the university health center did not offer a rape kit, a lapse her attorney called the first failure.
On Nov. 25, 2024, a CUPD investigator informed Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten that additional interviews had been completed. Van Houten’s office replied that the six-page statement originally given by Jane Doe was the sole basis for its review and that the department had collectively decided not to pursue criminal charges.
Snapchat data requests followed. Police asked for a fuller history on Nov. 26, 2024; the platform supplied 1,665 items from five accounts on Dec. 23. Only three of those snaps referenced Jane Doe or the incident, and none were deemed criminally relevant, according to a CUPD memo.
Criticism of the district attorney’s handling
Van Houten publicly defended his choice, stating that Jane Doe’s initial statement did not allege criminal conduct and that “there was nothing to review” because the fraternity members had declined to speak on legal counsel’s advice. He also claimed his office had no role in the two-month delay before Cornell police told the victim of the decision on Jan. 21, 2025.
Jane Doe’s lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said his client believed the investigation was ongoing during that gap. “I was unaware that they had made the decision to not prosecute in November,” Giuffra told NBC News. He added that the lack of a prompt interview and the failure to provide a rape kit represented a systemic breakdown.
Governor Hochul’s intervention and the appointment of a special prosecutor
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Oct. 1, 2026 that she would appoint Attorney General Letitia James as an independent special prosecutor to re-examine the case. During a press conference, Hochul criticized the district attorney for not interviewing the complainant or requesting the full transcript of her interview, calling the omission a failure of the justice system.
James, in her opening remarks, described the new review as an active criminal investigation that will gather all evidence, re-interview witnesses, and determine whether charges are warranted. She pledged a “full and fair” process, emphasizing that every New Yorker deserves a justice system that “sees and hears” victims.
Van Houten welcomed the governor’s decision, saying his office would cooperate fully with the Attorney General’s office. He reiterated that the original six-page statement suggested that the sexual activity was consensual, but he acknowledged that a newly released 120-page transcript of Jane Doe’s interview contains details not previously considered.
Cornell University issued a statement supporting the appointment of a special prosecutor and vowed to cooperate with any external review of its handling of the incident. The university’s internal disciplinary process earlier in 2024 had resulted in expulsions and suspensions, though it did not specify which of the seven men were sanctioned.
The case has also revived calls for legislative reform of New York’s rape laws, particularly around the treatment of intoxication and consent. Hochul urged lawmakers to address the “voluntary intoxication” provision that can complicate prosecutions in sexual-assault cases.
For individuals who have experienced sexual assault, resources remain available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) and RAINN’s online chat service at /get-help.
