Cornell Gang Rape Accuser's Lawyer Claims Three Women Mistakenly Identified Amid Threats
The attorney for the Jane Doe in the Cornell University gang rape lawsuit states that individuals have been wrongly identified as his client and that threats have been made against her and others.
The lawyer for the woman alleging a gang rape at Cornell University claims that at least three women have been mistakenly identified as his client, Jane Doe, amid a barrage of threats. Thomas Giuffra stated on CNN's State of the Union that individuals attempting to intimidate his client have tracked down and threatened women who are not involved in the case.
"They're saying to Jane Doe that there are people out there trying to track her down. They've tracked down the wrong women, at least three of the wrong women that I've heard about," Giuffra said. He added that Jane Doe has received multiple threats, and women who are not Jane Doe have also received threats. Giuffra characterized these actions as attempts to silence his client and pressure her to withdraw the lawsuit.
Giuffra also reported receiving threats for representing Jane Doe, stating, "I'm not afraid of these people. But the threats, the abuse to protect what's going on, the status quo - these guys are disgusting. They should stay in their mother's basement and stay out of the world."
The case, which has caused upheaval at the Ivy League university, involves a lawsuit filed in September. The suit alleges that Jane Doe was sexually assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity at their off-campus house in 2024. Doe, then 20, claims she was intoxicated when she arrived at the fraternity house, was pressured to take ketamine, and was given marijuana and high-proof alcohol before the assault. The complaint states she became incapacitated and the ordeal continued for hours.
According to the lawsuit, during the assault, one fraternity member allegedly posted to a Snapchat group for "Chi Phi Actives" that there was "free p***y" upstairs, referring to Doe. Another alleged response in the purported chat read, "Like you can walk in and whip it out."
The case gained renewed attention after Jane Doe filed the civil suit on September 16. She had previously filed a police report, but the Tompkins County District Attorney's office declined to prosecute. At least two of the defendants have publicly denied wrongdoing.
New York Attorney General Letitia James launched an active criminal investigation into the fraternity brothers on Friday. This development has drawn commentary from former President Donald Trump, who has criticized James, calling her "corrupt" and suggesting the defendants would not receive a fair trial. Trump previously stated he felt "badly" for the accused men and questioned Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to appoint James to oversee the case, referring to her by a nickname that has previously drawn accusations of racism.
