A judge has allowed the former Cornell student who sued the Chi Phi fraternity members over rape allegations to continue using the pseudonym "Jane Doe."New York Supreme Court Justice Phaedra Perry-Bond, who is presiding over the civil case, said in a Friday order that Jane Doe had argued that publicly identifying her could expose her to "retribution and retaliation," hinder her social life and career, and cause shame to her family.Doe also told the court that she fears being identified would lead to her family being placed in danger, adding that she has "experienced extreme anxiety, depression, and insomnia."None of the defendants opposed Doe's request to continue using a pseudonym, according to the order.The fraternity house at the center of a rape allegation stands on the campus of Cornell University on Oct.8, 2026, in Ithaca, New York.
(Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)CORNELL UNIVERSITY BANS FRATERNITY PARTIES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR AFTER SEX ABUSE LAWSUITUltimately, the judge ruled that Doe's privacy interests outweighed the normal presumption that court proceedings should be fully public, especially given "the notoriety of the allegations" and "the widespread reports of certain malicious actors' behavior in attempting to threaten and retaliate against anyone tangentially involved in this case."In an unusual move, the judge included a sort of public service announcement in her order, warning that attempts to harass or threaten Doe, the defendants or attorneys involved in the case could constitute a federal crime and lead to prosecution.Perry-Bond also noted that allowing Doe to use a pseudonym would preserve public access to the case without resorting to more restrictive measures, such as sealing the court docket or closing the courtroom.While Doe will remain anonymous publicly, the individually named defendants will continue to be identified in court filings.Students protest on Ho Plaza at Cornell University on Monday, Oct.5, 2026, in Ithaca, N.Y., in response to ...