Sept 28 (Reuters) - New York state prosecutors have reopened an investigation into an alleged 2024 gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house, a district attorney confirmed on Monday, after a civil lawsuit filed this month by the alleged victim sparked renewed outrage.
In a lengthy statement, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten confirmed that his office would present the case against seven alleged perpetrators to a grand jury for a possible indictment.
He also sought to explain why prosecutors did not pursue criminal charges two years ago, saying that the lawsuit's allegations differed from the alleged victim's original account in 2024. The woman, who prosecutors have not named, gave a statement to campus police at the time, according to VanHouten, that "described her drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious and consensual."
The alleged victim's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He told CNN in a statement that the police report was "not materially different" from the civil lawsuit's claims and criticized the district attorney's office for not pursuing a more thorough investigation sooner, the network reported.
The lawsuit, filed against the seven Chi Phi fraternity members, Cornell University and several other defendants, asserted that the woman, then a 20-year-old student at Cornell, was "plied with alcohol and drugs to the point of intoxication" by fraternity members, leaving her unable to consent before she was sexually assaulted.
Members of the fraternity used a Snapchat group chat to encourage others to join in, according to the lawsuit, which included a photo of some messages as well as details about the alleged assault itself.
In a statement, a Cornell spokesperson said the school supports Van Houten's decision and noted that the chapter of Chi Phi involved in the case has remained barred from campus since 2024. Cornell previously conducted an investigation into the allegations that resulted in "a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions from Cornell."
"Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," said the spokesperson, Kyle Kimball.
It was not immediately clear if all of the fraternity members named in the lawsuit have legal representation. Jeremy Saland, a defense lawyer who represents one of the members, said in a statement that his client had done nothing more than respond to the chat with an immature comment and that his client "welcomes any further investigation by the district attorney."
In the US, fraternities are college-based clubs for male students, often sharing a house together. The national Chi Phi fraternity, which was founded more than two centuries ago, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
(Reporting by Joseph Ax, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
