The Cornell sexual assault investigation reveals that campus law enforcement failed to provide the DA with a complete statement from the alleged victim.

Published on: Sep 30, 2026, 21:53:09 IST

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A significant development has emerged in the Cornell sexual assault investigation, as the District Attorney has disclosed that campus law enforcement failed to transmit the complete statement provided by the alleged victim. The undisclosed portion of her account reportedly contained her explicit assertion: "I can say with 100% confidence, I was raped."

Cornell police failed to share key evidence in ‘rape’ case, DA reveals

CBS News procured the transcript documenting Jane Doe's interview conducted with Cornell Campus Police as part of their investigative proceedings in November 2024. During the course of this interview, she said that at a particular juncture, she experienced a state of being “completely and totally incapacitated.”

According to Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, he was not provided access to the complete transcript documenting her two-day interview conducted by Campus Police. His review was limited to the investigation's findings, which contained a summary wherein campus law enforcement officers reported that she described the interaction with fraternity members as voluntary, conscious, and consensual.

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The implication of this account suggests that, if the DA's statement is accurate, Campus Police may have withheld the primary allegation from prosecutorial review—specifically, her assertion that she had been sexually assaulted.

“If she had said those words, we certainly would want to have explored that more. Like I said, that wasn't provided to me,” the DA told CBS News.

DA to request for full transcript from Cornell Police

The District Attorney said that he would request the transcript and then communicate with Cornell Police.

"Nobody knows this information about the transcript and that gives me something to really dig into because that changes the landscape for me," he stated.

Cornell University announced that its police department has submitted the findings of the institution's investigation to the District Attorney.

Cornell University 2024 rape case

A woman initiated civil legal proceedings against the Ivy League institution on 16 September, asserting that she had been administered drugs and sexually assaulted at a fraternity residence located on the university's campus.

She further contended that Cornell University neglected to ensure her safety and failed to impose sufficient disciplinary measures against the individuals responsible.

The individuals in question have been dubbed the “Cornell Seven,” while the plaintiff was referred to as Jane Doe throughout the judicial documentation.

Cornell University has expressed its willingness to support the referral of the matter to a grand jury, while simultaneously disputing the “unfounded” allegations that it had failed to administer appropriate sanctions to those implicated.

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