Jane Doe's Lawyer Rejects Bid to Remove Accused Fraternity Member from Lawsuit
The plaintiff's attorney vows to pursue accountability for Diego Sarabia, who denies allegations of rape and sexual assault at Cornell University.
The woman who claims she was gang-raped at Cornell University is refusing to remove one of the seven men named in her civil lawsuit, despite his attorneys' efforts to have the claims against him dismissed. Jane Doe's legal team stated they will oppose the motion filed by Diego Sarabia, who denies the allegations made against him.
In a statement, Doe's attorney Thomas Giuffra said, "We will be opposing Mr Sarabia's motion. We look forward to holding him accountable for his role in the assault of Jane Doe at the Chi Phi House." Sarabia's legal team argues that the former student, identified only as Jane Doe, unfairly included him with six other defendants accused of sexually assaulting her during an event at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.
Sarabia's attorneys maintain that the conduct attributed to him does not support the accusations of rape and sexual assault detailed in the nearly 600-paragraph complaint. They also argue that the complaint fails to demonstrate Sarabia's involvement in the alleged sexual encounters, nor does it allege he supplied Doe with drugs or alcohol. His legal team further contends he was not present for much of the misconduct described.
Furthermore, Sarabia's attorneys are seeking to prevent Doe's lawyer from making public statements about the case. According to court filings, they have accused Doe and her attorney of orchestrating a media campaign that began before the lawsuit was filed. Sarabia has asked a judge to limit Giuffra's media appearances and commentary.
The former student's lawsuit was filed on September 16 in New York State Supreme Court. It accused seven men of participating in an alleged gang rape. The defendants named in the civil lawsuit include Diego Sarabia, Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretzschmar. All seven have denied any wrongdoing.
Sarabia's bid to have the claims against him dismissed is currently before a judge. No criminal charges have been filed against the individuals, referred to as the "Cornell 7." The case remains a civil lawsuit, with an active state investigation ongoing.