In October 2024, a 20-year-old female Cornell student was drugged and sexually assaulted by 7 Chi Phi fraternity members over roughly 7 hours. She reported it. No criminal charges were filed.
According to her lawsuit, Cornell then gave the accused students the chance to mitigate their discipline by writing essays. Her attorney says only two were expelled. The rest received suspensions, workshops, or written assignments. (Cornell denies that essays were anyone's sole consequence.)
Now she's suing the seven students, Chi Phi, Cornell, Tri-Delta, and Moonies Bar. And just days after her lawsuit made headlines, the Tompkins County DA reopened the criminal investigation. A grand jury will now review the case.
It should never take a lawsuit and public outrage for a survivor to be taken seriously.