New York prosecutors reopen Cornell assault investigation after release of text messages
Prosecutors in Tompkins County have revived a criminal probe into a 2024 alleged gang-rape at Cornell University following the publication of text exchanges between a defendant and the complainant.
CBS News released excerpts of text messages that a defendant in the Cornell University assault case allegedly exchanged with the woman who says she was assaulted in October 2024. The messages, sent days after the alleged incident at a fraternity house, show the defendant apologising for "how things went down" and describing his memory of the night as "kinda fuzzy," while the woman, then 20, said her memory was "super clouded" and that all parties were intoxicated. She later wrote that "none of the sexual stuff was illegal" and suggested meeting again, asking to omit "the extra 5 billion men and ketamine."
The woman filed a civil lawsuit in September naming seven men she says participated in the assault. Two of the accused were expelled after an internal Cornell investigation; the remaining five returned to campus after completing disciplinary requirements. No criminal charges have been filed.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced the reopening of the dormant criminal investigation, citing new allegations that differ from the victim’s earlier sworn statement. Van Houten said the November 2024 statement described the sexual activity as "voluntary, conscious, and consensive," and that the office could not base its prior decision on a civil suit filed later.
CBS also reported having video of Snapchat messages from the night of the alleged assault, including a comment about "free pussy upstairs" and a follow-up asking if a shop was still open. Attorney Thomas Giuffra, representing the woman (identified as Jane Doe), confirmed she exchanged texts with a defendant after the incident but could not verify the authenticity of the screenshots. Giuffra said his client was intoxicated, traumatized, and seeking clarification about what occurred.
Van Houten released a summary of a six-page statement the woman gave to Cornell police three weeks after the incident. In it, she acknowledged initially being willing to have sex with two fraternity members before others joined, described being given alcohol, marijuana and ketamine, being slapped, and feeling unable to leave the room.
Two of the defendants, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, denied involvement in statements to ABC News, either personally or through legal counsel.