CBS News obtains alleged victim’s sworn statement to Cornell University Police
WARNING: Some of the details may be disturbing. Viewer and reader discretion is advised.
ITHACA, N.Y. (CBS, KYMA) - For the first time, CBS News is hearing disturbing details of an alleged sexual assault at Cornell University directly from the accused as they had obtained a copy of the alleged victim's sworn statement to campus police.
CBS News also learned what some of the accused men have to say.
In the six-page statement obtained by CBS News, the woman referred to as "Jane doe" recalled what happened the night at the Chi Phi Fraternity at Cornell university in 2024.
In it she says, "I had become extremely uncomfortable with how this night was turning out so my thought was if I do ketamine again maybe I will pass out."
She went on to say, "My thought was if I passed out and these men had sex with me, then they could be charged with rape."
She continued, "I do remember that two of the men were asking me to have sex so many times that I finally gave in."
"To me it felt like coercion," adding, "They should have known how intoxicated I was based on how I was slurring my words."
The statement was turned over to Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, but no one was ever charged.
CBS News reporter Lilia Luciano asked him why, and Van Houten said, "It's vulgar, it's disgusting. It's morally reprehensible. But it did not specifically address the issue of whether Jane Doe could have consented or was consenting."
The six-page statement did not have any mention of a rape claim, but on Tuesday, CBS News New York shared a transcript of interviews the woman did with Cornell Police, where she said, "I can say, with 100% confidence, I was raped."
"I never saw that statement. It was not included in the six-page statement," Van Houten shared.
When asked if he feared that statement was omitted, Van Houten said, "If it happened and it wasn't disclosed to us, then I need to know why and I will find out why."
CBS News reached out to Cornell University and the University Police Department, but both declined their request for an interview.
Now in that Title IX investigation obtained by the New York Times, the accused men almost universally denied the accusations against them, saying what happened was consensual, but while maintaining their innocence, one of the men did say he was "genuinely concerned and wanted to investigate what's going on."
