The woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by Cornell University fraternity members received threats prompting her to drop her lawsuit, her attorney said Sunday.
Thomas Giuffra told CNN’s “State of the Union” that people trying to discover his client’s identity also targeted at least three women mistakenly identified as her. The former Cornell student is identified as Jane Doe in court documents.
“She has received multiple threats, and women who are not even Jane Doe receive threats,” Giuffra said. He added that he received a threat on Sunday morning.
Giuffra did not identify those responsible or say whether the threats were reported to law enforcement. He did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for more information about the threats.
Jane Doe filed a lawsuit last month against Cornell and seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity, alleging she was sexually assaulted for several hours on Oct. 19 and 20, 2024, while under the influence of ketamine, alcohol and marijuana.
The allegations have sparked renewed scrutiny of how the university and local authorities have handled the allegations. Gov. Kathy Hochul last week appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to determine whether criminal charges are appropriate.
NBC News reported Friday that Cornell police interviewed witnesses and received anonymous tips during their investigation in 2024, but Tompkins County Prosecutor Matthew Van Houten did not review that additional information before deciding not to file charges at the time. He defended his decision by saying Jane Doe’s initial six-page statement to police did not allege any criminality.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said Saturday that the university must do better and that its board of trustees will announce an independent review of its handling of the matter next week.
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