Cornell Accuser Confident She Was Raped, Police Transcripts Reveal

Transcripts from a police interview in November 2024 reveal that a Cornell University alumna, identified as Jane Doe, told campus police she was "100 percent confident" she was gang-raped by seven fraternity members. The alleged attack occurred in October 2024 at the university's Chi Phi fraternity house. The release of these transcripts has prompted the Tompkins County District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, to reopen the case.

In the interview, Doe described consuming alcohol and drugs the night of the alleged assault and acknowledged having memory gaps. However, she stated she could distinguish between initial sexual activity and later events. "And then, of course, I was being hit at the same time," she told investigators. While she did not remember the entirety of the night, she asserted, "I can say with 100 percent confidence I was raped."

Van Houten had previously decided not to bring charges against the seven alleged perpetrators, citing Doe's signed statement from 2024. At the time, he told ABC News that Doe did not claim she was drugged without her knowledge and admitted to voluntarily consuming drugs and alcohol. He also stated she did not allege being forced into sexual acts or that she was physically helpless, unconscious, or incapacitated.

However, upon learning of the new transcript details, Van Houten told CBS News that this information was new to him. "I'm going to follow up on this because this is news to me," he said. He indicated that if he had known Doe explicitly stated she was confident she was raped, "we certainly would want to have explored that more." He plans to obtain a copy of the transcript and follow up with Cornell police, stating, "That changes the landscape for me."

Cornell officials confirmed that their police department provided the investigation's findings to the District Attorney's Office, as prosecutors review the case. The university has also agreed to an independent investigation into its handling of the matter, announced by Governor Kathy Hochul.

The district attorney's decision to reopen the case followed a civil suit filed by Doe on September 16. The lawsuit alleges that Doe, then 20, arrived at the Chi Phi fraternity house on October 19, 2024, already heavily intoxicated. She claims she was pressured to take ketamine and was given marijuana and alcohol before allegedly being sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members. The complaint states that seven men eventually participated, and Doe became "completely incapacitated" until losing consciousness around 5:45 a.m. The lawsuit also includes allegations of fraternity members posting messages to a Snapchat group about Doe.

Doe reported the allegations to Cornell University Police on November 8, 2024. The university temporarily suspended the fraternity and seven students the same day. The Xi chapter of Chi Phi remains barred from campus.

Defendants have denied wrongdoing. An attorney for Scott Kretzschmar stated the alleged incident "did not happen" and that his client never assaulted or touched the plaintiff. Scott Norris denied participating in sexual activity or drug use but acknowledged sending a message cited in the complaint, stating he "thoughtlessly engaged in Snapchat" and briefly entered the room where misconduct occurred.

Doe's attorney has stated that she continues to suffer from anxiety, depression, and sleepless nights, and has stopped attending Cornell. "She is basically stalled, and her life is devoted to dealing with the trauma," her attorney told the Daily Mail.