Cornell taps ex deputy US AG to probe sexual assault amid public outrage

Cornell University on Tuesday tapped a former top U.S. Justice Department lawyer to review its handling of an alleged 2024 gang rape of a student in a lawsuit that has sparked national outrage and triggered student protests at the U.S. Ivy League school, reported Xinhua.

Sally Yates, who served as deputy U.S. attorney general from 2015 to 2017, will lead the investigation, the university said in a statement.

In a lawsuit filed last month, the alleged victim, identified by the pseudonym Jane Doe, said she was given drugs and alcohol and then sexually assaulted by several members of the campus chapter of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024 after she had become incapacitated.

Following Doe's initial allegations in 2024, Cornell shut down the fraternity and imposed a range of discipline on the accused students, including expulsions and other sanctions. But Doe said the university failed to adequately investigate and punish the fraternity members involved.

Around 1,000 students and faculty members at Cornell rallied on Monday to demand firmer action against sexual violence on campus and accountability. Some protesters also called for the resignation of Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff.

Meanwhile, social media users have shown support for the victim by sharing the hashtag #IAmJaneDoe on TikTok, X and Instagram, and critics blamed the local prosecutors for declining to bring criminal charges in 2024.