Updated October 1, 2026 at 12:37 PM PDT
The woman who alleges she was gang raped by fellow Cornell University students in 2024 clearly stated in her statement to police two years ago that she was sexually assaulted.
That's according to her attorney, Thomas Giuffra, who confirmed to NPR that his client told investigators, "I can say with 100% confidence I was raped," citing transcripts from Jane Doe's sworn statement in 2024.
NPR asked Giuffra to specifically confirm on the record to NPR that his client made this exact quoted statement regarding her assault. His response by text: "Yes she did."
This is in contrast to statements from the local prosecutor, who claimed on Monday that Doe never stated she was raped. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten told NPR local station WSKG on Wednesday that he had not read the full account of her detailed statements to investigators where she repeatedly described being assaulted.
NPR asked Cornell if campus police provided the DA with all of the information from their investigation, including her repeated statements about being assaulted. The university did not respond to the request for comment.
CBS News New York reported Wednesday on a transcript of an interview between the Cornell University Police Department investigator and the alleged victim. NPR has not been able to obtain a copy of these transcripts.
Van Houten said in Monday's statement that in the 2024 statement taken by Cornell University police, Doe "did not allege that she was drugged against her will or gang raped. On the contrary, Jane Doe's statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual."
No criminal charges were ever filed against the seven men Doe alleges drugged and assaulted her for several hours in October 2024.
Van Houten told NPR member station WSKG on Wednesday evening that he was in the process of getting the interview transcript from Cornell. He told the station over email that he doesn't know when he will get the transcript from the university "or if Cornell will resist turning it over."
"If it's factual, we absolutely should have been informed about what Jane Doe said to police that was not in her six-page statement," he told WSKG.
Van Houten said earlier this week that his office is reexamining the case.
He added that particular transcript is part of the confidential Title IX investigation Cornell launched into the alleged assault.
In mid-September, Doe filed a lawsuit against the seven men who she alleges assaulted her two years ago. Cornell was also named in the lawsuit.
Following the onslaught of public backlash against Cornell and the local prosecutor, the school said Wednesday night that it will bring in an outside counsel to conduct an independent probe into the handling of the case.
Discrepancies mount
Since Tuesday, Cornell has directed the public to an FAQ page on the rape allegations.
The university has maintained that Cornell University Police investigated the case thoroughly and that the school held its own Title IX investigation, which resulted in suspensions and expulsions. Cornell has not specified how many students faced punishments, or of what nature. It noted in the FAQ: "Federal privacy law prohibits Cornell from disclosing specific information regarding individual students, and the university is therefore unable to make a public statement regarding any other disciplinary response."
WSKG found that as of Wednesday, the university has changed its FAQ. And it has quietly removed a sentence stating that the Cornell police "shared all investigatory information with the Tompkins County District Attorney's Office."
Previously, the FAQ read: "The Cornell University Police Department investigated the matter in 2024 and shared all investigatory information with the Tompkins County District Attorney's Office, which is the established protocol if the department believes it is possible a crime has occurred."
But by Wednesday afternoon, WSKG found that statement had been edited, and any mention of Cornell police sharing "all investigatory information" with the district attorney had disappeared from the page.
"The Cornell University Police Department is a unit of the university, and its officers are sworn Tompkins County deputy sheriffs whose duties include the enforcement of law and order on Cornell property," the new statement reads. "This incident occurred in Cornell's jurisdiction."
WSKG reported that Cornell University did not respond to its questions about these changes.
Students at the university have expressed outrage and deep disappointment toward school officials for their handling of this case. The Cornell University Student Assembly scheduled a public hearing set for Thursday afternoon during which they say they will "demand institutional accountability" from their school.
"We stand unequivocally with survivors of sexual violence, and we remain committed to ensuring that their voices are not only heard, but met with action," the organization said in a statement on Instagram.
Probes into Cornell's handling of the case to begin
Late Wednesday, the school confirmed to NPR that it is bringing in an outside counsel to hold an independent examination of the alleged gang rape.
University officials told NPR they have no further details about how the investigation will play out. Previously, Cornell strongly defended how it handled the case when Doe first reported the incident to school officials two years ago.
The move comes after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called for the school to open an outside investigation. In a video posted on X, Hochul also said she's considering new legislation to tighten sexual assault laws across the state.
"While we have some of the toughest laws on sexual assault on college campuses right here in New York, I think we can do better," she said. "This culture has to stop. And it will stop here in the state of New York."
WSKG's Aurora Berry contributed reporting.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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