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Cornell gang-rape accuser was 'misled' about criminal investigation, her lawyer says
PBS • • general
Key Points:
- The woman accusing several men of raping her at a Cornell fraternity party was "misled" about the status of the criminal investigation, as the inquiry ended shortly after it began despite being told it was ongoing.
- Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten declined to prosecute, believing the woman's participation was voluntary, a conclusion based on a summary report that omitted key details of the alleged assault.
- Cornell students staged protests to demand better handling of sexual assault complaints and called for disciplinary actions against those involved in the alleged 2024 gang rape at the Chi Phi fraternity.
- After the woman's lawsuit and public outcry, the investigation was reopened but then taken over by New York State Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor, with one defendant seeking her removal for alleged bias.
- Cornell has closed the Chi Phi fraternity chapter, expelled and suspended some students, and hired former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review its sexual assault investigation and disciplinary processes.
