Cornell University. Case of reopened group infringement: ♪ Who knows ♪

Uthe former student at Cornell University in Ithaca in the U.S. state of New York is legally suing the university and the seven members of a fraternity he accuses of having violated it for several hours.

The case alleges that the university failed to protect it and did not take appropriate action against the accused. Only two of the seven men were expelled – and none were arrested.

Now, a New York prosecutor has reopened the investigation into allegations of group rape, says Associated Press, as a way to find answers and reach conclusions after the resurgence of the case has generated a wave of criticism. 

What's the case?

A woman, identified only by a fictitious name, filed the lawsuit on September 16, this year, claiming to have been raped in a group at the Chi Phi fraternity home on the Ivy League University campus in October 2024, after being coerced into smelling ketamine, smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol. 

She describes being completely incapacitated while members of the fraternity sexually assaulted her for several hours.

In the process, the woman accuses the university of not having prevented the aggression and not having adequately dealt with sexual violence on campus.

It also contains a photograph of a group of messages from the fraternity where what happened that night was discussed, including the time when two of the alleged suspects invited the rest to join them to abuse the woman completely disabled by drugs and alcohol.

The woman's lawyers also state that the only investigation carried out so far was carried out by the university police and that, at the time, the prosecutors determined that criminal charges were not applicable, based on the woman's original complaint. 

At the time a 20-year-old student reported to the university campus police three weeks after the crime and the fraternity and the seven members were temporarily suspended that same day, but after that they had “an opportunity to mitigate their conduct by conducting written essays and delivered to the university”, reads in the process.

Only two of the seven men were expelled, while the others received lighter sanctions, such as writing essays and participating in workshops, remind women's lawyers.

Cornell rejects not having taken significant measures 

Cornell refutes and says that “no accused individuals were given the opportunity to write texts as the only consequence of their involvement”, recalling expulsions and suspensions.

The university stated in a statement that it supported the decision to reopen the investigation, but ensures that it conducted its own investigation at the time of the facts, and imposed sanctions, including the expulsion of some students and the suspension of others.

“Any suggestion that the university did not impose significant punishments on those involved is false”, they write.

The press release also reported that the Chi Phi fraternity on campus was closed in 2024 and remains prohibited from entering the campus.

The process, the reopening of research and the university's response generated an avalanche of reactions on social networks. Several criticize the educational establishment and authorities for the lack of concrete measures towards the accused, even publishing the names and photographs of the seven men.