Prosecutor reopens Cornell assault inquiry after transcript surfaces

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has reopened the criminal inquiry into a Cornell University alumna’s allegations of sexual assault at a fraternity house in 2024, after learning of a campus-police interview transcript he said he had not previously seen. He plans to obtain the transcript and follow up with Cornell police, while the allegations remain unproven and no criminal finding has been reported. The transcript, described in reporting about the interview, says Jane Doe told campus police in November 2024 that she was 100 percent confident she had been raped. She described coercion and said she had been completely incapacitated during some of the alleged events, while distinguishing earlier sexual activity she said she was relatively comfortable with. Doe also described drinking and drug use and gaps in her memory. Van Houten has said his office’s earlier decision not to bring charges was based on a signed statement prepared by a campus police officer. He said he had not received the full interview transcript and that its contents were new to him.