Cornell University Sexual Assault Allegations and Investigation Developments

Fox News correspondent Nate Foy reports on the ongoing investigation into the sexual assault allegations at Cornell University. The focus is on calls for New York Attorney General Letitia James to take over the case.

The Ithaca Common Council decided to stop issuing city permits to Cornell University and its student groups, including fraternities. This decision follows criticism of the university’s response to rape allegations by a former student. After extensive debate, the council voted 9-1 to implement a moratorium. This stops Cornell from obtaining new permits for events at the Ithaca Commons, citing public safety concerns.

The decision found support among many Cornell students and residents of Ithaca. However, some graduate students expressed concerns about the broad nature of the restrictions, fearing they might affect activities unrelated to Greek life. A graduate student highlighted potential disruptions such as event cancellations and delayed conferences.

The moratorium lasts until November 5, unless an extension is granted by the council. It also contains an amendment requiring Cornell to refer investigations of sexual and violent crimes to the Ithaca Police Department. Enforcement details remain unclear.

Jane Doe, the student at the center of the case, filed a lawsuit in September. She accuses seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity of drugging and raping her on October 19, 2024. She claims she was pressured into taking substances like ketamine. The accused have denied any wrongdoing, stating that any sexual activity was consensual or that they were not involved.

The fraternity faced suspension on November 8, 2024, the day Doe reported the allegations to campus police. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially chose not to press charges. He stated that Doe’s sworn statement indicated her participation in drug use and sexual activity was voluntary.

However, CBS New York obtained transcripts where Doe asserted, “I can say with 100% confidence I was raped.” Van Houten claimed he did not receive the full transcript and recently reopened the case when allegations in Doe’s lawsuit contradicted her earlier statement.

Thousands of Cornell students, along with community members, gathered in protest to support Jane Doe. The event, held on October 5, 2026, was organized by multiple student groups.

Jane Doe’s lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, stated that Cornell police led her to believe the investigation was ongoing, despite Van Houten’s decision not to file charges. Van Houten said he directed Cornell police to inform Doe about the lack of charges but admitted he never communicated directly with her or her attorney.

On October 1, Gov. Kathy Hochul transferred the case from Van Houten to Attorney General Letitia James, assigning her as a special prosecutor. Hochul expressed concern about the investigation’s integrity by both the Cornell Police Department and the Tompkins County DA. She stated that her and the public’s confidence in the DA’s capability to handle the case had been compromised.

One of the men named in Doe’s lawsuit recently petitioned the court to remove James from the case, accusing her of bias after a social media post described the alleged events as “horrific and unacceptable.”