Tompkins County's DA is reopening a case over a woman's allegation that seven Chi Phi fraternity members at Cornell drugged and sexually assaulted her in October 2024. No charges were filed then; Matthew Van Houten says a prosecutor is preparing it for a grand jury.
The civil complaint, filed under the name Jane Doe, alleges two Chi Phi members drugged her and sent a message in a Snapchat group chat called “Chi Phi Actives” saying “free p----.” It says the assaults continued until about 5:45 a.m. and includes a screenshot apparently discussing the incident.
Van Houten said his office reviewed Doe's 2024 statement to Cornell University Police before deciding not to file charges; he said it did not allege she was drugged without her knowledge or forced into sexual activity, unlike the civil complaint. He told ABC News his office never received the Snapchat messages or screenshot. Doe's attorney said Cornell police had received the messages in 2024 and called them critical evidence.
