Cornell rape lawsuit accuser receives threats to drop case, lawyer warns

The woman suing Cornell University over an alleged gang rape has received multiple threats to drop her lawsuit. Her attorney also flagged threats against mistakenly identified women.

Cornell accuser and wrongly identified women targeted with threats over rape lawsuit

The woman who filed a lawsuit against Cornell University and seven fraternity members over an alleged sexual assault has received multiple threats pressuring her to abandon her case, her attorney said Sunday, NBC News reports.

Thomas Giuffra, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union", said that attempts to unmask his client's identity had also led to threats against at least three women mistakenly identified as her. The plaintiff, a former Cornell student, is referred to as Jane Doe in court documents.

"She's received multiple threats, and women who aren't even Jane Doe receive threats," Giuffra said. He added that he himself had received a threat on Sunday morning.

Giuffra did not identify those responsible for the threats, nor did he confirm whether the incidents had been reported to law enforcement.

Jane Doe filed the lawsuit last month against Cornell and seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity, alleging she was sexually assaulted over the course of several hours on the night of 19–20 October 2024, while under the influence of ketamine, alcohol and marijuana.

The allegations have drawn intensifying scrutiny of how the university and local authorities handled the case. New York Governor Kathy Hochul last week appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to assess whether criminal charges are appropriate.

NBC News reported Friday that Cornell police had interviewed witnesses and received anonymous tips during their 2024 investigation, but that Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten had not reviewed that additional information before choosing not to pursue charges. Van Houten has defended his decision, stating that Jane Doe's initial six-page statement to police did not allege criminality.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said Saturday that the university must do better. He added that the board of trustees would announce an independent review of the university's handling of the case next week.

Source: Google News MT