Cornell sexual assault lawsuit prompts special prosecutor appointment and city council resolution amid threats and online backlash

Jane Doe, a former Cornell student, has filed a civil suit alleging she was gang‑raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. Two of the men were expelled, the others were suspended and the fraternity was shut down, while no criminal charges have been filed. The Tompkins County district attorney initially refused to bring charges, citing a six‑page police summary that omitted the victim’s statement describing the encounter as non‑consensual.

Governor Kathy Hochul then designated New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation, and the Ithaca city council adopted a resolution demanding that Cornell University Police turn over all sexual‑assault investigations to the city police and imposing a temporary moratorium on student‑affiliated events. The plaintiff’s attorney reports that she and her family have received threatening calls and a swatting incident, and TikTok users have circulated videos labeling the accused, contributing to widespread misinformation and harassment.