Several prominent figures, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have publicly expressed strong condemnation of students at Cornell University accused of sexual assault, despite no criminal charges having been filed or witnesses testifying under oath. The allegations stem from an incident on October 19, 2024, when a 20-year-old woman, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity.
According to a 101-page civil complaint filed by Doe against Cornell University, fraternity-related entities, and seven individual defendants, the alleged assault occurred after Doe, who was underage at the time, consumed significant amounts of alcohol at a sorority house and several bars before arriving at the fraternity around 11 p.m. The complaint includes Snapchat messages sent by fraternity members after 1 a.m., some of which describe the availability of “free” sex with a woman upstairs and include disturbing remarks such as “Shop still open?”
The case contains conflicting statements and accounts. Doe reportedly acknowledged to one of the men involved that some of the sexual encounters were consensual. Friends described her laughing about the events afterward, though some believe she was still processing trauma. In conversations with her sorority “big sister,” Doe acknowledged rumors about her experience were true. Additionally, messages exchanged on October 22 and 23 between Doe and one of the men expressed regret and confusion over the events, with both citing intoxication and hazy memories. Doe reportedly stated that none of the sexual encounters were illegal and expressed a desire to spend more time with two of the men, excluding others and the use of ketamine.
Medical records indicate that Doe sought care at Cornell Health on October 22, where she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and tested positive for sexually transmitted infections. Despite the allegations, she appeared to maintain some social connections with fraternity members; she initially expressed interest in attending the fraternity’s Halloween party on October 28 and was welcomed by a friend, although the party invitation was later rescinded by the fraternity president. Doe responded to this rescission with frustration, asserting that she felt betrayed and marginalized.
Doe pursued a rape kit examination on November 7, though the value of the evidence was diminished due to the delay in reporting. The following day, she formally reported the alleged assault to authorities.
Critics have drawn parallels between the Cornell case and the 2006 Duke University lacrosse case, where students were accused of sexual assault but later exonerated after the accuser admitted to fabricating her story. The Duke case remains a cautionary example of the risks involved in rushing to judgment amid conflicting evidence and incomplete investigations.
Representative Ocasio-Cortez has condemned what she describes as a “culture of rape, sexual assault and pedophilia” in elite institutions, including Cornell. Meanwhile, observers emphasize the importance of withholding definitive judgments until investigations are complete and all facts have been thoroughly examined.