New details have emerged regarding the handling of a 2024 alleged fraternity gang rape at Cornell University, as criminal investigators move to reopen the case. The heightened scrutiny follows intense public and political pressure, including a call from Governor Kathy Hochul for a formal review of the university’s institutional response. And prosecutors have now reopened their criminal investigation, the response by law enforcement has come under new scrutiny.
An exclusive look at the transcript from a campus police interview, conducted more than three weeks after the incident on November 14, 2024, provides a window into the initial inquiry. A campus police investigator led the session, which was attended by the complainant, a Title IX investigator, a victim advocate, and the complainant’s adviser. New York investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi exclusively obtained a transcript of the alleged victim’s interview with campus police from a source. According to the transcript, “And then, of course, I was being hit at the same time, jane Doe added.
During the recorded interview, the complainant detailed the night of the event, acknowledging that she had consumed both drugs and alcohol, which resulted in gaps in her memory. When asked about initial sexual interactions that evening, she stated, “Yeah, as much as I can be because, again, I was super drunk when I got there… But I was pretty OK with all of this.”
However, the account shifts significantly when she describes later events. She testified that she was physically hit with great force, subsequently stating, “I can say with 100% confidence I was raped.”
The transcript documents a process where the investigator typed out the complainant’s account, allowing her to review and correct the record word-for-word. By the second day of the interview, she reviewed a finalized six-page statement. When asked if she felt confident in the document before signing, she replied, “I’m very confident about this.” The investigator asks questions as he prepares her written statement, the transcript shows that throughout the interview.
The Tompkins County District Attorney previously indicated that this signed statement was a primary factor in his initial decision not to pursue criminal charges. In response to the re-examination of the case, the complainant’s attorney previously suggested that his client had been in a state of denial regarding the attack shortly after it occurred.
Cornell University previously conducted an internal review that resulted in various disciplinary actions, including student expulsions and suspensions. Attorneys representing two of the defendants identified in related lawsuits have stated that their clients continue to deny the allegations.
While internal and external investigations into the university’s handling of the matter remain ongoing, no further comments were provided by Cornell or the complainant’s counsel regarding the transcript’s release.
