Prosecutors in central New York are reopening an investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity after a civil lawsuit filed by a former student sparked public outrage. The Tompkins County District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, announced that his office is considering criminal charges, despite differences between the lawsuit’s allegations and the woman’s initial police statement. The lawsuit claims the woman was drugged and assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity, which was banned from campus following the incident. However, no criminal charges were filed at the time due to the woman’s statement not alleging non-consensual drugging or assault. The DA’s office plans to present the case to a grand jury, seeking new evidence. The woman’s attorney criticized the initial investigation for lacking sensitivity and thoroughness.
QUESTION: How might the reopening of this case influence how universities handle allegations of sexual assault in the future?
District attorney reopens case of alleged Cornell University ‘gang rape’
