Jane Doe Files Civil Action Against Seven Fraternity Members Over Sexual Assault and Human Rights Violations
Author: Srijita Mukherjee
October 26, 2026
HRRC believes that every woman has the fundamental right to feel safe from gender-based violence and neglect, especially within a university environment. Because Cornell University follows Title IX, which prohibits sex based discrimination, HRRC is deeply concerned about how Cornell University is handling such a serious sexual assault case as this is a human rights violation. HRRC calls on Cornell University to ensure that justice is served and the seven fraternity members are held accountable with strict penalties.
![Cornell University [Image source: Wikimedia Commons]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f05ed1_e03d1670209741b5872b0a9557d2bf9d~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_960,h_718,al_c,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/f05ed1_e03d1670209741b5872b0a9557d2bf9d~mv2.png)
A case known as the “Cornell 7” has received widespread attention on social media, bringing national focus to a young woman who accused fraternity members of gang rape. In November 2024, a student, known in court records as Jane Doe, reported the incident to the Cornell campus police. As a result, two of the seven accused students were expelled while the remaining five were suspended, sent to workshops and made to write essays as a part of the disciplinary actions. The matter acquired major public interest when the details of the allegations were published with the aim to “capture the hearts, minds, and headlines of Americans”.
The lawsuit names seven men: Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar. Doe initially struggled to process the incident due to her extreme intoxication, but later produced a six-page statement outlining the night it happened. Public outrage grew because none of the men were legally charged at that time. Matthew Van Houten, a district attorney, recently reopened the investigation, claiming that the civil action contained allegations that were “dramatically different” from previous findings.
Jane Doe detailed a severe violation of her bodily integrity and safety, stating that some of the males she was with urged her to take ketamine until she was incapable of protecting herself. She described that she had to hide beneath the covers on the bed as she was cornered. According to the Guardian, the males heaped her with “alcohol, marijuana and ketamine, was ‘slapped’ multiple times” and she felt like “there was no way for her to escape this room full of predatory, fraternity men”.
Her lawyer, Thomas P. Giuffra, indicated that Doe sought medical support for a urinary tract infection shortly after the incident. Despite explaining her trauma to the medical staff, she was never encouraged to see a counselor or referred for a rape kit. After reading online forum talks about similar instances at the same Chi Phi fraternity home, Doe realized the full extent of the assault. Despite enduring through these obstacles and hard feelings and participating in police interviews, no criminal charges were made.
The case reopened when evidence of text messages was obtained and it was regarding a campus fraternity house indicating that a female student was drugged and “repeatedly raped over the course of seven hours”. CBS News received a recording of Snapchat chats sent on the night Jane Doe was sexually assaulted. One of the most unsettling messages on the group chat was, “Shop still open?”
Cornell University has decided to ban all parties at fraternity houses due to the growing concerns over a reported campus sexual assault. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff apologized to Jane Doe, expressing his shock and sadness over the incident of sexual violence. He states he is “acknowledging where we have fallen short and taking meaningful action". At the same time, members of the Faculty Senate, which includes professors and staff, discussed whether they trust the university leadership to handle these situations.
This case reflects ongoing human rights issues in reporting campus sexual assault and ensuring women’s safety and dignity at Cornell University. Jane Doe stated in the court documents that the university did not protect her and feel to hold the perpetrators fully accountable. violating her right to justice and dignity. The civil lawsuit alleges “sexual assault and battery, negligence, breach of contract and violations of New York's Human Rights Law.” Although Cornell University called the situation as “serious and deeply disturbing”, they proceeded the initial disciplinary process, letting the offenders lessen their punishment by submitting essays.
Another student, referred to as Mary, shared her experience of reporting a sexual assault after she woke up with severe bruises. Although the school expelled the accused student, no criminal charges were filed due to the lack of physical evidence. Seeking justice has been difficult for Mary because she had to advocate for herself while attending school. Her experience with local police left her feeling hopeless. Even though Mary is not a student at Cornell, her story highlights systemic failures in how both universities and the criminal justice system deal with sexual cases, often denying survivors their basic right to justice.
Cornell University follows Title IX, a federal law that protects civil rights. Zoey Scheinblum-Brewer, a policy coordinator at the the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, explained that one of the biggest challenges for survivors of sexual assault is navigating both the university and the criminal justice at the same time. She noted that, "...unclear guidance about the options available through these parallel processes can create so much confusion and uncertainty that some students ultimately decide not to report,"
Faculty and students have strongly criticized the university’s response to handling sexual assault cases. Paul Ortiz, a labour history professor, stated that the university treats reports of sexual assault as a public relations issue rather than a criminal issue. Attorney Thomas Giuffra pointed out that the university’s actions were “too late to protect Ms Doe," Meanwhile, student journalists at the Cornell Daily Sun promised to keep reporting on how the university is handling sexual misconduct cases.
Glossary
Alcohol: Drinks that can make people drunk, such as beer, wine, and spirits, can be referred to as alcohol.
Assailant: a person who attacks someone violently..
Ban: to prohibit especially by legal means
Battery: an offensive touching or use of force on a person without the person's consent
Disciplinary: bodies or actions are concerned with making sure that people obey rules or regulations and that they are punished if they do not..
Expelled: to force to leave (a place, an organization, etc.) by official action
Forensic Evidence: evidence obtained by the use of science, for example DNA evidence.
Fraternity: a group of people associated or formally organized for a common purpose, interest, or pleasure.
Gang rape: rape of one person by several attackers in succession.
Incest: sexual intercourse between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry.
Incident: an occurrence of an action or situation that is a separate unit of experience.
Intoxication: the condition of having physical or mental control markedly diminished by the effects of alcohol or drugs.
Ketamine: a drug used in medicine as an anaesthetic (= a substance that prevents pain in operations) and also used illegally
Lawsuit: case in a court of law which concerns a dispute between two people or organizations.
Microscope slide:a small flat rectangular piece of glass.
Mitigate: to cause to become less harsh or hostile.
Negligence: the fact of not giving enough care or attention to someone or something
Rape kit: a set of materials, variously including swabs, microscope slides, storage bags, labels, etc., designed for the gathering of forensic evidence from a victim of sexual assault.
Sexual Assault: illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent (as because of age or physical or mental incapacity) or who places the assailant (such as a doctor) in a position of trust or authority
Suspension: temporary removal
Swab: A swab is a small piece of cotton used by a doctor or nurse for cleaning a wound or putting a substance on it.
Title IX: Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
Urinary Tract Infection: an infection that affects the urinary tract, the parts of the body that produce and carry urine
References
