Cornell fraternity brothers allegedly circulated a Snapchat photo of a 20-year-old student on the same night she claims she was repeatedly raped inside a closet as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
uncertain
she → circulate → consciousness
CBS reported it obtained the photo through the alleged victim's lawyer, while the additional details about the night of the alleged attack emerged from Cornell University's months-long Title IX investigation.
asserted
details → report → investigation
The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, told university investigators that multiple men came in and out of a room at the Chi Phi fraternity house leaving her feeling 'cornered' and like 'a sex doll for all intents and purposes.'
asserted
men → identify → intents
She claimed the alleged ordeal on October 19, 2024 later escalated when two men ushered her into a closet, where she said she was sexually assaulted while repeatedly losing consciousness.
asserted
she → claim → consciousness
'It was just raping,' she told investigators, according to findings obtained by CBS News.
uncertain
she → tell → News
At a university hearing in May 2025, Doe described feeling surrounded and powerless as the night unfolded.
uncertain
night → describe → May
'I felt like bait,' she said.
asserted
I → feel → bait
'I felt like lions around me.
asserted
I → feel → me
At the same time, members of the fraternity were allegedly communicating about her in a Snapchat group containing dozens of Chi Phi brothers.
uncertain
members → communicate → brothers
Cornell fraternity brothers allegedly shared a Snapchat photo of a student on the night she claims she was sexually assaulted
One of the men allegedly posted to the fraternity's active-members Snapchat group saying that there was 'free p***y' upstairs, referring to Doe, according to a lawsuit she has filed against her alleged attackers
One man allegedly asked 'Shop still open?' shortly after a photograph of Jane Doe was shared in the group,
In one image from the chat, Doe can apparently be seen smiling alongside another man.
uncertain
Doe → share → man
Just before the photograph was posted, one man allegedly wrote: 'Like you can walk in and whip it out.'
uncertain
you → post → it
After the image appeared in the group, someone asked: 'Shop still open?'
'Yeah,' came the response.
asserted
response → appear → group
The university investigation also uncovered an alleged message referring to Doe as 'free p****.'
asserted
investigation → uncover → *
The messages have become a potentially crucial part of the controversy surrounding the case, which has triggered a civil lawsuit, disciplinary action against several students and a newly revived criminal investigation now being handled by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
asserted
which → become → James
Doe has sued seven men – Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar – as well as Cornell and others.
asserted
Doe → sue → men
No criminal charges have been filed.
asserted
charges → file → ?
Kretzschmar, Norris and Lopes have now publicly denied participating in the alleged sexual assaults or drug use described in the complaint.
asserted
Kretzschmar → deny → complaint
The disturbing new details have emerged from Cornell University's months-long Title IX investigation into the alleged October 2024 attack at the Chi Phi fraternity house, pictured
Cornell expelled two students and suspended two others following its internal investigation into the allegations
Kretzschmar's lawyer Jeremy Saland said his client acknowledges making what he called an 'immature' comment in the Snapchat chain cited by Doe and briefly entering the room where she was, but denies touching her, engaging in sexual activity or taking ketamine.
He said Kretzschmar was in the room for only a few minutes, did not see Doe in distress or undressed and took a hair-follicle test that he says showed his client had not consumed ketamine.
asserted
client → emerge → ketamine
In 2024, Ingalls, Newell, Lee and Sarabia acknowledged having sexual contact with the woman but said that their interactions had been consensual.
asserted
interactions → acknowledge → woman
All men denied any wrongdoing during the Title IX investigation.
asserted
men → deny → investigation
Cornell has also defended its handling of the situation, insisting it conducted a thorough investigation which resulted in expulsions and the fraternity being barred from campus.
asserted
fraternity → defend → campus
Some of the men interviewed during Cornell's investigation also disputed Doe's account, saying she did not appear intoxicated and that sexual activity was consensual.
But Doe told investigators a dramatically different story.
asserted
Doe → interview → story
According to the Title IX findings, she said she had taken ketamine and described its effects as leaving her with the sensation that the 'lights are on, but nobody's home.
uncertain
nobody → accord → sensation
'
'Your brain is not functioning at its proper level,' she said.
asserted
she → function → level
The seven men being sued by Jane Doe were not criminally charged following the original investigation, but prosecutors are now reexamining the case to determine if new evidence warrants charges
The renewed probe centers on allegations that a Cornell University student was drugged and gang raped by seven fraternity members in October 2024.
asserted
student → sue → October
She claimed she was repeatedly sexually assaulted as men moved in and out of the room before eventually being taken into the closet – an episode she described as the worst part of the entire night.
asserted
she → claim → night
Another student who had been at the fraternity house told investigators that one of the accused men called her the following day and allegedly asked her to ensure a friend didn't 'say anything that she thinks might've happened last night.'
Doe also told investigators that three men apologized to her in the days afterward.
uncertain
men → tell → days
Her attorney says she preserved potential evidence, including the dress she had been wearing.
asserted
she → say → dress
According to her lawsuit, she visited a campus clinic two days after the alleged attack to receive treatment for a urinary tract infection.
uncertain
she → accord → infection
Her attorney claims she told medical staff it had been contracted in a 'traumatic way,' but rather than being referred for a rape kit, she was advised to 'speak with somebody.'
Doe went to Cornell University police the following month.
Campus police investigated and ultimately sent a six-page sworn statement to Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who declined to bring charges.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, right, is now overseeing the criminal investigation after being appointed special prosecutor by New York Governor Kathy Hochul
Cornell's Chi Phi chapter was shut down in 2024 following the allegations and remains barred from campus
uncertain
chapter → claim → campus
But the allegations Doe made regarding the closet were not included in the statement provided to prosecutors and that discrepancy has now become a major focus of scrutiny.
asserted
discrepancy → make → scrutiny
Van Houten has said the account his office originally received, while disturbing, did not contain allegations that the students had raped Doe or that she had been drugged against her will and rendered incapable of consenting.
asserted
she → say → will
After Doe filed her civil lawsuit in September and further details of Cornell's investigation emerged, Van Houten announced that the criminal investigation would be reopened.
asserted
investigation → file → investigation
The case then took another dramatic turn on Thursday when New York Governor Kathy Hochul stripped the local prosecutor of control and appointed James as special prosecutor.
asserted
Hochul → take → prosecutor
On Friday, Hochul said Doe had been 'failed' by institutions that should have protected her.
asserted
that → say → her
'In what world does the district attorney not even interview her, or anyone else involved, or even request the full transcript?' Hochul said.
'
asserted
Hochul → interview → transcript
This woman, this young woman, had already endured something that is utterly unspeakable.
asserted
that → endure → something
And then at every turn, she was failed by people and institutions with an obligation to protect her.
asserted
she → fail → her
'
Hochul also criticized the campus police investigation saying Doe had spent hours describing what happened to officers.
asserted
what → criticize → officers
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to bring charges before reopening the case amid renewed scrutiny.
asserted
Houten → decline → scrutiny
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
