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Why has the investigation returned to the spotlight?

The alleged sexual assault at Cornell University in the U.S. has entered a new phase as the case was reopened and online efforts to identify the complainant intensified. The woman, identified in legal documents as Jane Doe, says she was raped by seven men in 2024 at a fraternity house in Ithaca, New York. No criminal case was filed at the outset, but a possible criminal process has returned to the agenda after the woman filed a civil lawsuit.

The lawyer's assessment of the case

The woman's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said his client has been going through a difficult time because of pressure on social media. According to Giuffra, the woman, who was 20 years old at the time of the incident, was heavily intoxicated when she arrived at the house and therefore was not in a position to give consent.

The lawyer also said his client alleges she was forced to take ketamine before the assault. These statements have intensified both public debate and pressure to revisit the investigation.

Social media identity searches and mistaken identifications

As the case gained national attention, posts trying to uncover Jane Doe's identity multiplied on social media. Giuffra said some posts falsely identified other women as the complainant.

In response, many women shared videos under the title "I am Jane Doe", aiming both to complicate online searches and to show solidarity. Some of the videos featured women describing their own experiences of sexual assault.

  • Some internet users were reported to have tried to find the home addresses of the men widely referred to in public as the Cornell Seven.
  • Because of a name similarity, a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant was mistakenly served legal papers and later received insult and threat messages.

Why did the governor hand the file to the attorney general?

New York Governor Kathy Hochul transferred the investigation to Attorney General Letitia James, the state's top law enforcement official. Hochul said she had lost confidence in the county prosecutor's ability to handle the case and announced the decision publicly.

The governor also promised to close a gap in state law that is said to make prosecution in rape cases more difficult when a person has voluntarily used alcohol or drugs. The case is being closely watched in the U.S. because of both the possible criminal inquiry and the debate over online targeting.

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