Overview
- A student suing under the name Jane Doe says she was gang‑raped by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity during the night of Oct. 19–20, 2024 while she was heavily intoxicated and alleges she was given more alcohol and pressured to take ketamine.
- The plaintiff’s September 2026 civil complaint included screenshots and Snapchat messages that she says show fraternity members advertising her as “free pussy” and sharing videos from the night, bringing the incident back into public view.
- Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten declined to press charges in 2024 for lack of evidence of nonconsent, but he reopened the investigation after the lawsuit drew public outcry and Governor Kathy Hochul appointed State Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.
- Cornell closed the Chi Phi chapter in 2024 and imposed expulsions and suspensions after its internal review; the plaintiff says the university’s disciplinary process was inadequate and Cornell has launched an independent review.
- The case has prompted mass social media support for the plaintiff alongside efforts to reveal identities, and New York lawmakers are weighing changes to sexual‑assault laws and campus oversight that could affect how intoxication and consent are prosecuted.