CBS obtains messages sent between victim, defendant as alleged 2024 Cornell gang rape case reopens

CBS News obtained messages between a former Cornell student and a defendant in the reopened 2024 gang rape case. The messages, sent two days after the alleged assault, show both parties apologizing and discussing intoxication. The alleged victim's attorney argues she was in denial and traumatized. New York prosecutors reopened the investigation after a civil lawsuit sparked renewed outrage.

CBS News obtained screenshots of messages exchanged between a former Cornell University student, identified as Jane Doe, and one of the defendants in the recently reopened alleged 2024 gang rape case. The messages, sent two days after the alleged assault, show the man apologizing for "how things went down" and saying his memory was "kinda fuzzy." Jane Doe responded that her memory was "super clouded too" and that "non(e) of the sexual stuff was illegal." Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, confirmed the messages were exchanged but argued Doe was "in denial and traumatized shortly after the alleged assaults." New York state prosecutors reopened the investigation on Monday after a civil lawsuit filed by the alleged victim sparked renewed outrage. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said his office would present the case to a grand jury for a possible indictment. The lawsuit, filed against seven Chi Phi fraternity members, Cornell University, and other defendants, asserts the woman was "plied with alcohol and drugs to the point of intoxication" before being sexually assaulted. A Cornell spokesperson said the school supports the decision and noted the Chi Phi chapter has remained barred from campus since 2024.