NY Prosecutor Reopens Cornell Fraternity Assault Investigation

An upstate New York prosecutor has reopened an investigation into an alleged 2024 sexual assault at Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity house. The decision comes after New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for an independent review and appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor, citing concerns about the initial investigation and the Tompkins County District Attorney's prior decision not to file charges.

Timeline of Allegations

The case involves allegations made by a former undergraduate student, identified as Jane Doe, who claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven men at the fraternity house in October 2024. According to court documents and police reports, Doe alleges she accepted drugs and alcohol at the party before losing consciousness. She later filed a police report with Cornell University police on November 8, 2024.

Cornell University placed the Chi Phi fraternity chapter on temporary suspension and issued temporary suspensions to several students involved. The university's Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX also reviewed the allegations. The national Chi Phi Fraternity confirmed that all accused members were expelled from the Cornell chapter within three days of Doe filing her police report.

In November 2024, the Tompkins County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case but decided not to file charges. At the time, then-interim Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff stated that campus police were continuing their criminal investigation. In February 2025, Cornell established a Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault.

The university's Title IX Office conducted numerous hearings and interviews between May and May 2025. In November 2025, a university survey revealed that 35% of undergraduate women and 8% of undergraduate men reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact since attending Cornell.

Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit in September 2026 against Cornell, the Chi Phi chapter, her sorority, and the seven men she accused of assault. The Cornell Daily Sun published an editorial on September 21, 2026, criticizing the university's handling of the incident.

Reopening the Case

On September 27, 2026, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced he was reopening the investigation. Van Houten stated that in her sworn statement to Cornell police in October 2024, Doe did not allege she was drugged against her will or gang-raped, but rather described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual. However, ABC News later obtained parts of Doe's statement that were not included in Van Houten's summary, in which she told officers the incident "felt like coercion."

Two of the accused men, Scott Kretzschmar and Scott Norris, issued statements denying their involvement. The Ithaca Police Department noted that the alleged assault was not reported to them and that they learned of the allegations through media reports.

Governor Hochul subsequently called for an outside investigation, and on September 29, 2026, Cornell University agreed to initiate an independent review. On October 1, 2026, Hochul issued an executive order appointing Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor for the case, expressing concerns about the original investigation and the district attorney's decision not to prosecute.

James stated she was prepared to lead a process that "New Yorkers can trust, guided by the facts and the law."