What to know about Cornell's alleged frat house gang-rape case and the 'Cornell 7'
Prosecutors have reopened investigation after lawsuit filed by Jane Doe
WARNING:
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This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
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It also contains vulgar language.
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Alumni are threatening to pull funding, celebrities are lashing out and people are boycotting institutions associated with an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., currently igniting the internet.
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people → threaten → internet
The case came into the spotlight after the victim, known only as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit on Sept. 16, alleging the private Ivy League university protected the seven men, now dubbed "the Cornell 7."
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university → come → men
She claims they drugged and assaulted her over several hours at a frat house in October 2024.
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they → claim → October
The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court and viewed by CBC News, alleges the assault happened on campus at the Chi Phi Fraternity house, and that one of the frat brothers sent a Snapchat message inviting other members to join them for "free pussy."
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one → file → pussy
It further claims that the accused only faced temporary suspensions and "were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays" to the university — a claim Cornell denies.
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None of the fraternity members have been criminally charged.
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But the case has unleashed online fury, drawing comparisons to last year's Hockey Canada sexual assault trial in London, Ont., which saw all five players acquitted.
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players → unleash → London
On Monday, the Tompkins County district attorney announced he was reopening the investigation.
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he → announce → investigation
"Once we determine the appropriate charges, the case will be prosecuted in the most objective and impartial means available — by testimony to the Tompkins County grand jury," district attorney Matthew Van Houten told CBC News in a written statement.
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Houten → determine → statement
Cornell, in its own statement Monday, said it supported the DA's decision for a criminal grand jury to hear the woman's claims, but disputed the lawsuit's allegations about how the university punished the accused.
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university → say → accused
"Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," Kyle Kimball, vice-president for university relations, said in a statement posted online.
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Kimball → impose → statement
The statement also said the on-campus Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.
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chapter → say → campus
Here's what to know about the case and why it's caused so much fury online.
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According to the lawsuit, the assault began the night of Oct. 19, 2024.
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Jane Doe, who was 20 at the time, had been drinking with her sorority, and again at a nightclub and then "stumbled" alone at 11 p.m. to the Chi Phi fraternity house on campus to visit a friend — one of the accused.
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who → drink → accused
"Plaintiff was visibly intoxicated as she had consumed about 10 standard drinks within the past three hours," the lawsuit says.
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lawsuit → consume → hours
It also says the nightclub served the woman "at least one" alcoholic beverage even though it had marked an X on her hand showing she was underage.
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she → say → hand
At the frat house, she was given a beer, and her friend allegedly proposed a threesome with another member, to which she was too intoxicated to consent, the suit states.
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suit → give → which
The accused allegedly took her upstairs and led her to a room with another of the accused.
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accused → accuse → accused
She was pressured to snort ketamine, the lawsuit alleges, adding that she had never used that substance before.
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she → pressure → substance
They also "plied her" with cannabis and rum, it says, after which the two men "began engaging in sexual acts with plaintiff, all without her consent."
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men → ply → consent
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As they engaged in oral and vaginal sex, one of the accused also repeatedly slapped her buttocks, resulting in bruising, the lawsuit says.
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lawsuit → reinvigorate → bruising
One of the men left to have a nap, and another entered the room.
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another → leave → room
The two remaining men then began another alleged assault on the woman.
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men → remain → woman
At 1:42 a.m., one of them sent a Snapchat message to the rest of the fraternity, claiming there was "free pussy."
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one → send → fraternity
The suit includes an image of the alleged message, and some of the purported responses from the accused, including, "like you can walk in and whip it out."
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you → include → it
According to the suit, "multiple" other fraternity members then entered the room.
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members → accord → room
One of them allegedly put ketamine on his erect penis and told the woman to snort it, which she did.
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she → put → which
The men then began snorting the substance off her naked body, the suit states.
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suit → begin → body
Two men took her to another room, where they allegedly assaulted her again.
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they → take → her
The alleged incident ended at 5:45 a.m., and Jane Doe passed out.
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Doe → allege → a.m.
She returned to her sorority house "in a state of shock," the documents state, and soon realized the events were becoming "public knowledge" on campus.
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events → return → campus
She reported it a few weeks later to the Cornell University Police Department around Nov. 8, 2024.
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She → report → Nov.
She alleges the seven accused were issued temporary suspensions and allowed "to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays."
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seven → allege → essays
The university released a statement and investigated, but ultimately closed it at a later date, according to the lawsuit.
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university → release → lawsuit
Jane Doe suffered "severe emotional and psychological distress and personal physical injury" due to the alleged assault and the university's purported handling of it, the lawsuit says.
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lawsuit → suffer → it
She is suing the seven men, the Chi Phi fraternity, the university, Moonies Bar and Nightclub and others, seeking undisclosed damages.
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She → sue → damages
…and 34 more, not listed.
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