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Cornell Rape Allegation Statement Omission Revives Case Questions
A Cornell student says several men sexually assaulted her at a fraternity house.
She told a campus police officer that she had been raped.
The officer later prepared a shorter written statement for her to review and sign.
That version did not include her strongest words about rape.
The district attorney received the shorter statement and decided there was not enough evidence to charge the men.
He said the statement described the sexual and drug-related activity as voluntary and consensual.
The student later filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell and others.
The men have denied the accusations or said the sex was consensual.
The district attorney is now considering whether new evidence should go to a grand jury.
A Cornell student told campus police she was raped at a fraternity house in October 2024.
The officer’s six-page statement omitted her explicit claim that she had been raped.
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said the written statement described the conduct as voluntary and consensual.
Van Houten declined to charge seven men but is considering presenting new evidence to a grand jury.
The student’s civil lawsuit names Cornell, the seven men, Chi Phi, and her sorority.
- Who
- A Cornell University student identified as Jane Doe, seven men, Cornell, Chi Phi, and District Attorney Matthew Van Houten.
- What
- The student alleges that she was drugged, became incapacitated, and was sexually assaulted; a police statement omitted her explicit claim that she had been raped.
- Where
- The alleged assault occurred inside the Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell University.
- When
- She reported the incident on November 14, 2024, after an event nearly a month earlier; she filed a civil lawsuit on September 16.
- Why
- The case has been reopened for review because the district attorney is considering new evidence after questions about what the police statement included.
Student’s account
Prosecutor and defendants’ account
What happened at the fraternity house
Student’s account
The student alleges that she was pressured to use ketamine, marijuana, and alcohol, became completely incapacitated, and was sexually assaulted by fraternity members.
Prosecutor and defendants’ account
The men have not been charged and almost universally denied the accusations or said that any sexual activity was consensual.
What the police statement conveyed
Student’s account
The student says she clearly told police that she had been raped, but that language was omitted from the six-page statement sent to the district attorney.
Prosecutor and defendants’ account
Van Houten said the statement available to his office did not allege that she was drugged against her will or gang raped and instead described the conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual.
Whether charges should be filed
Student’s account
The civil lawsuit and the reported omission have prompted renewed scrutiny of the decision not to charge the seven men.
Prosecutor and defendants’ account
Van Houten defended the decision as based on insufficient evidence, while saying he may consider new evidence before a grand jury.
Key facts
- Reported incident
- The student said she found herself naked at a fraternity house nearly a month before November 14, 2024.
- Police interview
- She spent hours giving an account that was condensed into a six-page voluntary statement.
- Omitted language
- The final statement did not include her explicit statement: “I can say with 100 per cent confidence I was raped.”
- Prosecutorial decision
- Matthew Van Houten said there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the seven men.
- New review
- Van Houten has said he wants to meet the student and is considering taking new evidence to a grand jury.
- Civil lawsuit
- The lawsuit names Cornell, seven men, the Chi Phi fraternity, and the student’s sorority.
- Responses from men
- The men have not been charged and, during Cornell’s investigation, almost universally denied the accusations or said any sex was consensual.
Quotes
Matthew Van Houten
The district attorney who declined to bring criminal charges against the seven men.
“On the contrary, Jane Doe's statement described her participation in drug and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual”
NDTV
“I can say with 100 per cent confidence I was raped.”
NDTV
Sources
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