NYT: New revelations about alleged Cornell gang rape investigation
NYT: New revelations about alleged Cornell gang rape investigation
4:17
A heavily redacted, 99-page document obtained by CNN, which summarizes key evidence included in a Cornell University disciplinary panel’s decision, echoes some of the reporting in the New York Times on the men’s accounts, including that at least one said he could not tell the victim was under the influence.
That panel decision says more than 50 interviews were conducted as part of the university investigation, including all of the men accused of participating except one who declined to be interviewed.
While CNN has been unable to view the entire document due to redactions, the document describes alleged heavy use of drugs and alcohol that night in the fraternity house and details interactions between the men and Jane Doe, some of which occurred after a message saying “free p*ssy” was posted on a Snapchat group text.
One of the men said he and another went to the room after seeing that message to see if everything was ok, telling investigators “I was kind of befuddled” after reading the text. He said he conversed with Jane Doe and asked one of the men and Jane Doe if they were “all right,” to which both responded affirmatively.
One of the men accused, whose name was redacted, told the panel, according to the document: “I was sorry that maybe if it wasn’t consensual and she was victimized, I was sorry for not stopping it. And that I’m sorry I couldn’t tell if she was under the influence […] just sorry that I felt like if something actually bad happened, I didn’t stop it.”
According to the document, at least one of the men was found to have violated the school’s policy against sexual exploitation and sexual assault, and at least one respondent was found responsible for attempted sexual exploitation, but was not found responsible for sexual assault.
For the man found responsible only for attempted sexual exploitation, the Cornell panel imposed several sanctions, including a “no contact order” with Jane Doe and an order to submit to the Title IX office a “reflection paper” on the circumstances he was found responsible.