Former Cornell Student Sues University Over Alleged Fraternity Sexual Assault, Investigation Reopened

Washington: A former Cornell University student has filed a lawsuit against the university and members of the Chi Phi fraternity, alleging that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by several fraternity members at a house party in 2024.

The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, was 20 years old at the time, according to reports citing the lawsuit. She alleges that the assault took place at the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, after she visited the property to meet a friend.

The lawsuit names seven fraternity members and accuses them of sexually assaulting her after she became intoxicated and allegedly was pressured to take what she was told was ketamine. The allegations have not been established in court, and the defendants have not been convicted of the alleged conduct.

What the lawsuit alleges

According to the complaint, the woman was at the fraternity house when two men allegedly encouraged her to use a substance they identified as ketamine. She claims that after she became incapacitated, multiple men engaged in sexual acts with her without her consent.

The lawsuit further alleges that while she was unconscious or otherwise unable to respond, one of the men posted a message in a Snapchat group used by members of the fraternity. The message allegedly referred to a woman being available for sex.

The complaint claims that other fraternity members responded to the message and that additional men subsequently arrived at the house. The woman alleges that the sexual assault continued for several hours.

A screenshot of the alleged Snapchat exchange was reportedly included as part of the court filing.

The lawsuit identifies the defendants as Winston Lee, Scott Kretzschmar, Scott Norris, Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Gillio Lopes and Diego Sarabia.

Woman reported the alleged assault to Cornell

The complaint says the woman reported the alleged assault to Cornell’s police department approximately three weeks after the incident.

Her attorney, Thomas Giuffra, has criticised the way the matter was handled following the report. According to reports citing the lawsuit and statements from the attorney, Cornell carried out an internal investigation and took disciplinary action against some of the students.

The lawsuit alleges that only two of the seven accused fraternity members were expelled, while others received different forms of disciplinary action, including suspensions and educational measures.

The complaint argues that the university failed to take sufficient steps to protect students and prevent the alleged conduct. It accuses Cornell of negligence, breach of contract and violations of state law.

The woman is seeking financial compensation, including compensatory and punitive damages. The lawsuit does not specify the amount being sought.

Former student reportedly left Cornell

The lawsuit says the woman eventually left Cornell following the alleged assault.

Her attorney has said that the incident had a profound effect on her life and education. The legal action argues that the university and others involved should be held accountable for what she says happened and for the response that followed her report.

At the same time, the allegations remain part of an ongoing legal dispute and have not been determined by a court.

Prosecutors say criminal charges were not supported by evidence

The case has also drawn renewed attention after prosecutors in New York reviewed the allegations.

The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office said it had conducted a thorough review of the police investigation but concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

That decision is separate from the civil lawsuit filed by the former student. A civil case can continue even when prosecutors do not bring criminal charges, as the legal standards and issues involved are different.

Cornell responds

Cornell University has said that its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated and adjudicated the allegations under university policies.

The university also said that the Xi chapter of Chi Phi has been barred from campus.

Cornell cited federal privacy laws in explaining why it could not publicly disclose detailed disciplinary information about individual students. The university said violations of its policies can result in penalties ranging from suspension to expulsion and that it would respond to the lawsuit through the legal process.

The university further said that following its investigation, it established a task force focused on sexual assault and introduced changes to its policies and procedures.

Civil lawsuit now puts university’s response under scrutiny

The lawsuit places both the alleged assault and Cornell’s handling of the subsequent complaint at the centre of a legal dispute.

For the former student, the case is not only about the alleged events at the fraternity house but also about whether the university responded appropriately after she reported what she said happened.

Cornell, meanwhile, maintains that it followed its established procedures and has pointed to the disciplinary and policy measures taken following its investigation.

The civil case is now expected to examine the allegations, the university’s response, the evidence available to investigators and whether Cornell or any other defendant can be held legally responsible.

The allegations against the former students remain allegations unless and until they are established through legal proceedings.

News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.