Outraged Cornell students, parents demand accountability in Jane Doe gang rape case: Fight like hell
ITHACA — More than 100 Cornell University students, alumni, parents and professors vented their outrage at a meeting Thursday night over the bombshell Jane Doe gang rape case — with one student calling others to “fight like hell against the administration.”Many members of the upstate New York campus community broke down in tears while addressing the hearing — eviscerating the Ivy League’s response to the harrowing allegations from a now-former student, identified as Jane Doe, in 2024. “Survivors need to know they’re supported … through this event, we’ve seen exactly the opposite,” a student — who divulged she was sexually assaulted two years ago — told the crowd.“We need to fight like hell against the administration … to my fellow students, speak loud about the wrongdoings that have been done here on campus because if we don’t, we may never be able to again.” Thursday’s student government hearing at the prestigious school, which has little more than 16,000 undergraduate students, comes as Jane Doe’s gang-rape allegations catapulted into the spotlight this week, calling into question whether the case was mishandled by Cornell, local prosecutors and cops.In a 101-page lawsuit, Jane Doe claims seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity took turns raping her for hours on Oct.20 2024 after allegedly plying her with ketamine and booze.
She reported the alleged assault to campus police on Nov.8 and the school suspended and expelled some of the students following a lengthy Title IX investigation.
However, no criminal charges were ever filed, with prosecutors saying there was insufficient evidence.Students at Thursday night’s meeting were quick to blame Cornell administration.“I think the administration should make a statement instead of hiding in Day Hall like the cowards they are,” one student blasted.“All I can think about is Jane Doe…How many times did she have to pass her rapists in the hallway? It’s awful,” they said....