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ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — Tompkins County’s top prosecutor is set to take another look at a case involving students at Cornell University.
In a public statement released Monday, District Attorney Matt Van Houten said that he found out on Sept. 18 about a civil lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student, who says she was drugged and raped by Chi Phi fraternity members at a party in 2024.
“In November of 2024, the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD) informed the DA’s Office of their investigation in this case and asked us to review a statement provided by Jane Doe to determine if her allegations constituted a crime under New York law. Law enforcement agencies commonly consult with us on questions of evidence, matters of law, and potential charges, if any,” Van Houten wrote.
No charges were filed against the 7 male students at the time. Van Houten says Jane Doe’s initial statements to campus police provided a “different narrative and set of facts of the events of October 19, 2024 than those alleged in the lawsuit.”
Explaining his decision to re-open the case, Van Houten says a public outcry was a factor.
“I have been asked by the community to revisit the decision whether to pursue criminal charges against the seven fraternity members. I have already begun that process, starting with our conversation with Jane Doe and her attorneys. 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,” the DA added.
Van Houten has appointed a senior prosecutor in his office to prepare their case for the grand jury, who will also be presented with information Jane Doe outlined in her civil lawsuit. Cornell says they support the DA’s decision to re-open the investigation. In a statement on Sept. 18, Cornell’s VP for university relations, Kyle Kimball, said the fraternity is banned.