Transcript Reveals Accused Cornell Student Urged Peer Not to Spread Rumors After Alleged Assault

Additional details have emerged regarding the communications between individuals involved in the alleged sexual assault case at Cornell University, following the 2024 incident at the Chi Phi house. A Title IX record obtained by CBS News New York contains Jane Doe’s testimony, interviews with six of the seven men named in the lawsuit, and accounts from 20 witnesses.

According to the documents, a student present at the house on the night of the alleged assault received a phone call from one of the accused men the following day, shortly before a sorority event. The student alleges that the man requested she ensure a mutual friend did not “say anything” about events she believed occurred the previous night, noting that another fraternity member was “really concerned.” At the time, the student stated she interpreted the request as an effort to avoid embarrassment or the spread of rumors.

The record indicates the student relayed the message to her friend, who was also interviewed by investigators. The friend later told investigators that the man’s comments “clicked” weeks afterward when Cornell issued a campus crime alert. “It makes a lot more sense,” she said. “And it was very concerning.”

The friend and her roommate, a third woman, subsequently contacted Cornell Police. The friend noted that she provided a witness statement but expressed uncertainty about whether any action was taken on it. The 565-page Title IX record does not reference the disposition of that statement.

Cornell University initially stated it had shared all investigatory information with the Tompkins County District Attorney’s office, but has since revised its FAQ to specify that it shared only the victim’s sworn statement and a Snapchat screenshot. The District Attorney confirmed to CBS News New York that he received only Jane Doe’s 2024 statement and the video.

When questioned by investigators about the phone call with the first student, the accused man initially denied having such a conversation. A month later, he provided written corrections, stating he “did talk to her at one point when she visited about not spreading any rumors.” During the same interview, when asked how the fraternity brothers handled rumors, he replied, “We were just in the idea of just deny.”

The District Attorney originally declined to file charges against any of the accused men but has since reopened the investigation.