Key Developments

A Title IX record obtained by CBS News New York reveals new details in the Cornell University alleged rape case from 2024. According to the record, a student present at the Chi Phi house on the night of the alleged assault received a call the following day from one of the men accused in the lawsuit. The student alleges the man asked her to ensure a friend of hers did not "say anything that she thinks might've happened last night," adding that another fraternity member was "really concerned."

Initially, the student reportedly didn't think much of the call, assuming the man was merely embarrassed and wished to prevent rumors. She passed the message to her friend, who was later interviewed by investigators. Weeks later, after Cornell issued a campus crime alert, the friend stated that the man's alleged comments "clicked," becoming "very concerning."

The friend and her roommate subsequently reported the incident to Cornell Police, with the friend providing a witness statement. However, the 565-page Title IX record does not reference what happened to this statement. This raises questions, especially given Cornell's shifting stance on sharing investigatory information. Cornell initially stated it shared all information with the Tompkins County district attorney's office but later updated its FAQ to specify only "the victim's sworn statement and the Snapchat screenshot." The DA confirmed receiving only Jane Doe's 2024 statement and a Snapchat video.

During his interview, the accused man initially denied having a phone call with the first student about that night. However, a month later, in written corrections, he stated that he "did talk to her at one point when she visited about not spreading any rumors." Earlier in the same interview, when asked about how fraternity brothers handled rumors, he reportedly said, "We were just in the idea of just deny." The district attorney, who initially declined to press charges, has since re-opened the case.

Key Takeaways

  • An accused man in the Cornell case allegedly asked a student to silence a friend regarding the incident, a request he later partially admitted to after initially denying it.
  • Cornell University's statements regarding the extent of investigatory information shared with the Tompkins County District Attorney's office have been inconsistent.
  • The fate of a witness statement provided to Cornell Police by a friend of the alleged victim remains unreferenced in the obtained Title IX record.

Why It Matters

These new revelations suggest potential attempts to suppress information related to the alleged assault and raise significant concerns about transparency in the investigation process. The accused man's alleged request to keep a witness quiet, followed by his shifting accounts, could be interpreted as an attempt to obstruct justice. Furthermore, the discrepancies in Cornell's public statements about shared evidence with the district attorney's office highlight potential issues with institutional accountability and cooperation with legal authorities. The re-opening of the district attorney's case underscores the gravity of these emerging details and their potential impact on the pursuit of justice for the alleged victim.