prosecutors in Tompkins County have reopened the investigation into a 2024 incident at Cornell University involving allegations that a female student was drugged and raped by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. The decision comes months after prosecutors initially declined to file criminal charges based on the victim’s original statement.
The case began coming to light on October 19, 2024, when the student, identified in legal documents as Jane Doe, alleged she was sexually assaulted during a party at the fraternity. According to her lawsuit, she had been invited by one of the accused men and reported being drugged with ketamine before the assault occurred. An independent report obtained by ABC News also noted that another individual overdosed on ketamine at the Chi Phi house around October 18, 2024.
On November 8, 2024, Jane Doe filed a report with Cornell University police. Later that day, the university placed the Chi Phi chapter on temporary suspension and issued suspensions to several students involved. Cornell Interim President Michael Kotlikoff described the allegations as “serious and deeply disturbing” in a November 2024 statement, confirming that the fraternity remained barred from campus.
Initial criminal proceedings stalled when Cornell campus police referred the matter to the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office in November 2024. Prosecutors reviewed the evidence but decided not to file charges. David Sarmy, the interim Cornell dean of students, confirmed to the university community at the time that the DA’s office had declined prosecution.
The legal landscape shifted significantly in 2026. On September 16, 2026, Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell University, the Chi Phi chapter, her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, and the seven men accused of the assault. Following the filing, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced on September 27, 2026, that he was reopening the criminal investigation after speaking with Jane Doe and her attorney.
In a statement released alongside the announcement, Van Houten explained the basis for his initial decision and the change in stance. He noted that in her sworn statement to Cornell police, Jane Doe did not allege she was drugged against her will or gang raped. “On the contrary, Jane Doe’s statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual,” Van Houten said, while releasing a summary of that initial police statement.
The reopening of the case has drawn criticism from the student body. On September 21, 2026, the Cornell Daily Sun published an editorial condemning the university’s handling of the incident, stating, “Cornell has failed to protect its students.”
Legal representatives for two of the accused men, Scott Kretzschmar and Scott Norris, issued statements on September 28, 2026, denying their clients were involved in the alleged assault. Additionally, the Ithaca Police Department clarified that the sexual assault was not reported to their agency, stating they learned of the allegations through the media.
Cornell University defended its handling of the case, noting that Cornell University Police is a unit of the university with jurisdiction over campus property. In a statement, the university emphasized that the incident occurred within Cornell’s jurisdiction and did not require involvement from local Ithaca police.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has also weighed in on the matter, calling for an outside investigation into the university’s conduct regarding the case.
The editorials say Cornell failed students, but I wonder if the evidence just wasn’t strong enough for a criminal conviction initially.
Interesting that the DA reopened this after the civil suit. The initial statement described things differently than the lawsuit alleges.