Prosecutors are reopening an investigation into alleged gang rape at Cornell University

Around two years after a young woman reported gang rape at the US elite University of Cornell, the public prosecutor's office has reopened the investigation. The responsible public prosecutor's office in Tompkins County in the US state of New York announced that it was being examined whether the case could be brought to trial. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also called for an independent investigation into the case. The young woman's allegations are "horrific."

A former student accuses seven men of sexually abusing her in October 2024 in the house of the “Chi Phi” student association on the university campus. According to her own statements, she had previously been forced to consume ketamine, marijuana and alcohol and was ultimately unable to act.

The woman is suing the seven men, the student association, the university and other parties involved for damages. She was 20 years old at the time and said she contacted the police on campus around three weeks after the incident. The case was not prosecuted at the time.

The case is causing debate across the country

Prosecutor Matthew Van Houten said the woman did not describe being gang raped or given drugs in her first sworn statement to authorities. It will now be examined whether new evidence justifies criminal prosecution.

The university said it supported reopening the investigation. She has already investigated the case internally and imposed sanctions on several students. According to US media, two of the alleged perpetrators were expelled from the university following an internal investigation - while the other five were allowed to resume their studies after writing an essay, taking part in a workshop or serving a short suspension. The local Chi Phi fraternity was suspended from campus in 2024.

The case is causing debate in the USA. The names and photos of the seven accused men were published on social media. The CBS television station reported on Snapchat messages that were exchanged by numerous members of a group called “Chi Phi Actives” on the night of the alleged attack. In one of the messages, one of the men is said to have asked others to join in with the words “free pussy upstairs.”

According to the New York Times, the woman began her bachelor's degree at the university in August 2022, but stopped after she said she was raped in 2024. She was 20 years old at the time and a member of the Tri-Delta sorority. Her lawyer said she is currently dealing with the aftermath of the incident and is not studying at university.