Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced that his office is reopening an investigation into allegations that seven Cornell University fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted a student in October 2024. The prosecutor stated an intention to put the matter before a grand jury following the filing of a 101-page civil lawsuit that brought renewed public scrutiny to the case.
Grand Jury Review and New Evidence Considerations
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten stated that his office plans to present the case to a Tompkins County grand jury with the cooperation of the complainant, identified in court documents as Jane Doe. According to Van Houten, the objective is to determine if any additional evidence surfaced since November 2024 that alters the initial assessment of the case and points to criminal conduct. No criminal charges were filed when the incident was initially investigated in late 2024.
Van Houten said that in her original statement, the student admitted to taking drugs and alcohol voluntarily, did not allege being forced into any acts, and did not state that she was physically helpless or incapacitated at the Chi Phi fraternity house. He added that neither the complainant nor her legal representatives ever contacted his office to request a case review or claim her sworn statement was inaccurate.
Legal Dispute Over the Initial Police Investigation
Thomas P. Giuffra, the attorney representing Jane Doe, disputed the district attorney’s characterization of the initial statement and criticized authorities for failing to follow up with his client. Giuffra argued that speaking with an abuse survivor requires specialized training that average university police officers typically lack. He asserted that investigators were provided with a critical piece of evidence—a fraternity group chat inviting members to the room—which was handed over in 2024 but never acted upon by police or prosecutors.
The civil lawsuit details an event from October 2024 where the then-20-year-old student went to the Chi Phi fraternity house in Ithaca, New York, after bar-hopping with sorority sisters. The complaint alleges that two fraternity members, Matthew Ingalls and Johnathan Newell, pressured her to consume ketamine before she was subjected to a hours-long assault. The suit claims other men entered the room after a message was posted to a fraternity Snapchat group. The defendants named in the civil action are Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretzschmar.
Defendants and University Responses
Attorneys and representatives for the accused individuals have pushed back against the allegations in the civil filing. Jeremy Saland, an attorney for Scott Kretzschmar, called the lawsuit intentionally dishonest and morally repugnant, stating that his client welcomed further investigation. Saland maintained that while Kretzschmar made an immature comment on Snapchat, he did not touch the plaintiff, witness her in duress, or ingest ketamine.
Defendant Scott Norris similarly denied participating in any sexual activity or drug use, telling reporters he was not found responsible by Cornell for accusations involving sexual misconduct. Norris acknowledged making a thoughtless Snapchat post and briefly stopping by the room where the misconduct occurred, but maintained he was not present during the assault. Cornell University vice-president Kyle Kimball stated that the institution takes sexual violence extremely seriously and that its civil rights and student conduct offices investigated the allegations under university policy, resulting in the Chi Phi chapter being barred from campus.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cornell Fraternity Investigation
Why were no criminal charges filed in 2024?
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten stated that his office did not bring charges in 2024 because the statement the complainant gave to university police did not allege she was drugged without her knowledge, forced into acts, or rendered unconscious.
Which fraternity was involved in the allegations?
The allegations center on members of Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity, whose chapter was barred from campus following the October 2024 incident.
Have any individuals been arrested or charged criminally?
No criminal charges have been filed against the seven men named in the civil lawsuit, and the allegations have not been tested in court.
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