What We Know · Ithaca, NY · No criminal charges · DA reopening the case
The Cornell 7: what we know as the DA reopens the case
Updated
DA reopens the case and intends to take it to a grand jury
The Tompkins County District Attorney says his office is reopening the case and intends to present it to a grand jury "with Jane Doe's cooperation," to "reexamine whether there's additional evidence." No one has been criminally charged. The DA says her first statement to police in November 2024 did not allege she was drugged against her will; her attorney disputes that and says no trained investigator ever followed up with her. Cornell University said on Sept. 28 that it supports the DA's decision, and that its Title IX hearing panel "issued a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions." These remain allegations in a civil lawsuit, not proven in court.
A former Cornell University student, identified in court papers only as Jane Doe, has filed a civil lawsuit alleging she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity in Ithaca, NY, in October 2024. The case is known online as "the Cornell 7." These are allegations in a civil lawsuit. They have not been proven in court, no one has been criminally charged, and we do not name the people accused.
Updated video · · 2:39 · Watch on YouTube
What's confirmed
- Nov. 8, 2024Cornell temporarily suspends the Chi Phi Xi chapter and "a number of students." Cornell University statement, Nov. 26, 2024; The Cornell Daily Sun
- November 2024She reports to campus police, according to The Cornell Daily Sun. (Reports differ on the exact date, so we give the month only.)
- Nov. 26, 2024Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff says the behavior outlined in the allegations "is abhorrent and cannot be tolerated within our community." Cornell University statement
- After that: A Title IX investigation follows. Cornell later creates a presidential task force on campus sexual assault. The Cornell Daily Sun; Law Commentary
- The Tompkins County District Attorney's office says it reviewed the police investigation and found "insufficient evidence to support criminal charges." CBS New York; Law Commentary
- Sept. 2026The lawsuit is filed in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan against Cornell, local and national Chi Phi organizations, seven current or former members, and others. It seeks damages. CBS New York; Law Commentary; AP
- Sept. 21, 2026Cornell says it handled the case "consistent with university policies," that federal privacy law bars it from discussing individual students, and that the chapter "remains barred from our campus." Cornell University statement; The Cornell Daily Sun
- Sept. 28, 2026Cornell says its Title IX hearing panel "issued a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions," and none of those charged under its code got essays "as a sole consequence." Cornell University statement; CNY Central; AP
What we don't know / what's disputed
- Discipline: the plaintiff's attorney says only two of the seven were expelled, and the lawsuit says others were allowed to "mitigate" their conduct by writing essays. Cornell disputes the essays claim and does not say which sanction any individual received. CBS New York; Law Commentary; Cornell University
- What a grand jury will hear, and when, has not been announced.
- None of the allegations has been tested in court. The men named in the suit have not yet presented their side there.
What happens next
Still no charges. A grand jury may now weigh a case the DA once declined to bring, and the civil suit is at its start. Two years on, the question is whether anyone will be held accountable, and what happens next for anyone who reports. We'll update this as the case moves.
Sources
- Cornell University statement (Nov. 26, 2024)statements.cornell.edu/2024/20241126-update.cfm
- Cornell University statement (Sept. 21, 2026)statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260921-update.cfm
- Cornell University statement (Sept. 28, 2026)statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260928-da-investigation.cfm
- ABC News (Sept. 28, 2026)
- CBS New York (Sept. 2026)
- CNY Central (Sept. 2026)
- Associated Press (Sept. 28, 2026)
- The Cornell Daily Sun (Sept. 2026)
- Law Commentary (Sept. 2026)
Allegations in a civil lawsuit, not proven in court. No one has been criminally charged or found liable. We do not name or show the people accused or identify the woman who filed the suit. Nothing from that night is depicted.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence: RAINN, 1-800-656-4673 / rainn.org.
Spot an error? Email corrections@undercurrentdaily.com. See our corrections policy. Have information about this case? Contact the investigating agency first.
