New text messages obtained in Cornell fraternity assault lawsuit
Screenshots of messages between the alleged victim and a defendant were provided to CBS News, prompting the district attorney to reopen the investigation into a 2024 incident at Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity house.
CBS News New York received screenshots of text messages exchanged between a former student, identified as Jane Doe, and one of the men named in a civil lawsuit alleging assault at Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024. The messages were sent two days after the incident and include an apology from the defendant, who said his memory was "kinda fuzzy" and that he and another man were too intoxicated to intervene. Doe replied that her memory was also "super clouded" and that the sexual activity was not illegal, expressing a desire to meet again without certain substances.
The Tompkins County district attorney announced a reopening of the criminal investigation, noting that the victim’s original statement differs from claims made in the lawsuit. Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, confirmed the text exchange but said he could not verify that the screenshots are the exact messages referenced. Giuffra described Doe as traumatized and intoxicated on the night of the alleged assault and said she sought clarification rather than an aggressive confrontation.
Giuffra added that the messages were presented during Cornell’s Title IX proceedings and that the university’s decision to expel the defendant did not reflect the significance of the texts. He also stated that none of the men involved have been arrested. Two other defendants named in the lawsuit have denied the allegations.