Cornell law professor decries lynch mob mentality over alleged gang rape case, blasts AOC for rushing to judgment

WASHINGTON — A prominent Cornell Law professor blasted the public reaction to the alleged fraternity gang rape case Thursday, arguing that the discourse has been plagued by a “lynch mob mentality,” with too many people rushing to judgment.Menachem Rosensaft, a visiting professor of the practice at Cornell Law School, told The Post he believed it was “irresponsible” to publicize the names of the seven accused fraternity brothers and to spread their photos on social media without a conviction.“The underlying case is horrific.The trauma suffered by this young woman is utterly horrific, and I think that the decision by the DA [district attorney] to reopen the case and re-examine it is absolutely appropriate,” Rosensaft said.“What troubles me is that this has turned very quickly into a lynch mob mentality in which no one is looking at any of the underlying issues,” he said.

“Basically, the seven students involved have already been judged, sentenced, and condemned in the court of public opinion.”The “Cornell 7” case burst into public view last month when a former female student, referred to as “Jane Doe” in court documents, filed suit against seven Chi Phi members and the Ivy League university claiming she was drugged and gang-raped at a fraternity party on campus.Doe alleged the monstrous encounter took place in October 2024, and is seeking damages for physical, emotional and psychological injuries, as well as the loss of her education.Two of the seven fraternity members were expelled following an internal probe by Cornell at the time and Chi Phi was barred from campus.Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who faced scrutiny for not prosecuting the accused men at the time, recently opted to reopen an investigation into the matter in light of the lawsuit.The horrifying saga has attracted national attention and drawn fierce rebukes from Gov.

Kathy Hochul (D) and “Squad” Rep.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who declared a...