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‘Cornell 7’ update: Why Jane Doe's statement has become contentious after Sunny Hostin's remarks
Sunny Hostin questioned Jane Doe's statement in the Cornell Chi Phi rape case, noting voluntary intoxication may not negate consent under New York law.
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The allegations of rape against seven members of Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity have become headlines worldwide. But the statement of the alleged victim, identified as Jane Doe in a September 24 lawsuit, has become contentious in the discussion surrounding the allegations.
The lawsuit in Tomkins County, New York alleged that Jane Doe was drugged and raped by seven former Cornell students on October 14, 2024, at a fraternity house at the Ithaca, New York, campus. The names of the accused were revealed by former South Park writer Toby Morton.
Morton created a website calling the accused "Cornell 7." The accused were identified as: Matthew Ingalls, Johnathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar.
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Later, multiple news outlets also confirmed the names, revealing that the employers of some of them have taken action in the aftermath of the lawsuit.
On September 29, the complete details of the lawsuit, including the Jane Doe's statement, were released. And the statement by Jane Doe in the complaint is being questioned, including by ABC's The View co-host Sunny Hostin.
Sunny Hostin Questions Jane Doe's Statement
On Monday, the Tomkins County prosecutor announced that the case will be reopened in the aftermath of the lawsuit filed by the victim. A statement from the district attorney of Tomlin County about the case has been uploaded to the county website.
It includes sections of the statement provided by Jane Doe about the incident that are relevant to the investigation.
Sunny Hostin, a former sex crime prosecutor, dissecting the Jane Done statement and questioned whether criminal charges can be brought against the seven accused.
"I actually have the statement that Jane Doe wrote at that time," Hostin said in Tuesday's edition of The View. "I will say that under current New York State law, voluntary intoxication or drug use, and she voluntarily drank a lot, she voluntarily took snorted ketamine off of one of the boys' body parts."
"Even though she was highly intoxicated when she arrived at the frat house," Hostin continued. "She was highly intoxicated but had made plans to meet one of the young men. She allowed other boys and consented to other boys snorting ketamine off of her body, and under New York law, voluntary intoxication or drug use that merely impairs judgment does not legally constitute an inability to consent to sexual activity, right?
"So that means if you voluntarily ingest drugs, you voluntarily take alcohol, you can agree to have threesomes, which in her statement, she agreed to have two separate threesomes."
Jane Doe had first reported the case to the university police three weeks after it happened. The university police had found no grounds to press criminal charges against the accused. Cornell University conducted an internal investigation after which two students were expelled, and the others received punishment, including suspension.
