Cornell assault accuser receives threats, attorney says
The woman who alleges she was assaulted by members of a Cornell fraternity has been threatened to drop her lawsuit, and her lawyer says other women misidentified as her have also been targeted.
A former Cornell student who filed a lawsuit alleging sexual assault by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity has been the subject of threats urging her to abandon the case, her attorney said on Sunday. Thomas Giuffra told CNN’s “State of the Union” that attempts to reveal his client’s identity have also resulted in threats against at least three other women who were mistakenly identified as the plaintiff, who is referred to as Jane Doe in court filings.
“She’s received multiple threats, and women who aren’t even Jane Doe receive threats,” Giuffra said.
Giuffra added that he himself received a threat on Sunday morning but did not disclose the source or indicate whether the incidents have been reported to police. The lawsuit, filed last month, accuses the fraternity members of assaulting the plaintiff over two days in October 2024 while she was under the influence of ketamine, alcohol and marijuana.
The case has renewed scrutiny of how the university and local authorities handled the allegations. New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to evaluate possible criminal charges. Cornell police have interviewed witnesses and received anonymous tips, but Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said he did not review the new information before deciding not to pursue charges, citing the plaintiff’s initial statement as not alleging criminal conduct.
University President Michael Kotlikoff said the institution must improve its response and announced that the board of trustees will commission an independent review of its handling of the case next week.