We don’t know whether the re-review of the evidence in the Cornell gang rape allegation will be quick or lengthy, but what we do know is that whatever happened at the Chi Phi house in October 2024 was a mess. Drugs and alcohol were involved, and consent was offered. Was it rescinded at any point during the sexual activity? It’s either regrettable sex that’s been processed as rape, which happens, though that’s not the case, or these guys raped Jane Doe and they should get what’s coming to them. This is a civil suit, so the standard is preponderance of the evidence, not beyond a reasonable doubt, since the punishment is less severe. That could also lead to sloppy investigative work, and New York Attorney General Letitia James being QB1 on this is a nightmare.
Hanna Stotland, a crisis management and college admissions specialist, offered a reasoned take in Slate, noting the evidentiary process while also addressing how to combat these instances. She also said this incident is the true nightmare scenario for college administrations.
Some documents have been released, including those involving Scott Kretzschmar, who was named in Jane Doe’s September 16 civil suit. Lauren Conlin, a contributor to Los Angeles Magazine, reviewed documents involving him when Cornell conducted its 2024 Title IX investigation. Here's the link to her tweet thread. The copy is below. It does shed light on the vulgar text about free pussy in the alumni room of the house. It gives a clearer picture of the event that’s become a national topic of conversation. Yet, this is one person’s account. Several others must be fleshed out:
CORNELL SEVEN 🧵, A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE TITLE IX INVESTIGATION: I’m still going through Scott Kretzschmar’s court docket, which sheds considerably more light on Cornell’s internal Title IX investigation. Cornell spent roughly four months building its investigative record, conducting more than 50 interviews with 32 witnesses, collecting electronic and documentary evidence, and giving the parties an opportunity to review and respond to that evidence. That was followed by a 12-day hearing before a three-member panel. Here’s a thread breaking down what the Cornell panel ultimately identified as the “Undisputed Relevant Facts” of the night in question: "Based on its review of the evidentiary record, the Panel considered the following facts regarding the night of October 19 into October 20, 2024, to be materially undisputed and supported by a preponderance of the evidence in the record, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Panel included such undisputed facts in its findings and determinations, accordingly. On the night of October 19, 2024, Complainant consumed alcohol before arriving at the Chi Phi house at the invitation of [REDACTED]. The fraternity was hosting a party that night."
— Lauren Conlin (@conlin_lauren) October 6, 2026
I’m still going through Scott Kretzschmar’s court docket, which sheds considerably more light on Cornell’s internal Title IX investigation. Cornell spent roughly four months building its investigative record, conducting more than 50 interviews with 32 witnesses, collecting electronic and documentary evidence, and giving the parties an opportunity to review and respond to that evidence. That was followed by a 12-day hearing before a three-member panel. Here’s a thread breaking down what the Cornell panel ultimately identified as the “Undisputed Relevant Facts” of the night in question:
"Based on its review of the evidentiary record, the Panel considered the following facts regarding the night of October 19 into October 20, 2024, to be materially undisputed and supported by a preponderance of the evidence in the record, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Panel included such undisputed facts in its findings and determinations, accordingly. On the night of October 19, 2024, Complainant consumed alcohol before arriving at the Chi Phi house at the invitation of [REDACTED]. The fraternity was hosting a party that night."
"[REDACTED] was a sober monitor for the party, and [REDACTED] were the fraternity's social chairs at the time. Shortly after Complainant's arrival, [REDACTED] asked Complainant if she would like to engage in a "threesome." Complainant understood this suggestion to be indicative of sexual activity among herself, [REDACTED] and a third person and expressed interest. As of that night, Complainant had strong romantic feelings for and sexual interest in [REDACTED] and had for some time. The two then proceeded to a bedroom on the second floor of the house - belonging to [REDACTED] and University undergraduate student [REDACTED] - known within the fraternity as the "alumni room." The alumni room was located off a balcony area where individuals often gathered and was generally regarded by members of the fraternity as a social room, serving both as a bedroom for [REDACTED] and as a generally-unlocked space where fraternity members (and, in particular, sophomore fraternity members such as [REDACTED]) would commonly congregate after parties. The furniture in the room at the time consisted of three beds, one loveseat-style couch, and at least one chair. [REDACTED] was present in the alumni room when Complainant and [REDACTED] arrived. No others were present. Complainant and [REDACTED] were friends at the time and had engaged in sexual activity together in the past. After Complainant and [REDACTED] entered the alumni room on October 19, the three parties engaged in sexual activity, for which Complainant provided consent. Specifically, Complainant engaged in oral sex with [REDACTED] on or near the couch, while [REDACTED] engaged in vaginal-penile sex with her from behind (the "threesome activity"). The parties ended the threesome activity after some minutes. At or around that time, the three consumed liquor and smoked marijuana together. Ketamine was introduced among the group, as well, as discussed further in Section IV.B below. Ketamine was a substance used by multiple individuals in the Chi Phi house at the time, including [REDACTED], who had overdosed on or about October 18, 2024. At some point, [REDACTED] moved himself to a bed in the room and fell asleep or was otherwise unconscious. Complainant and [REDACTED] remained together on or near the couch. At or around 1:00 a.m. on October 20, 2024, [REDACTED] entered the alumni room and engaged in sexual activity with Complainant, as discussed further in Section IV.C below. While [REDACTED] was present in the alumni room, [REDACTED] woke, and [REDACTED] participated in contemporaneous sexual activity with Complainant for some amount of time, as discussed further in Section IV.H below. [REDACTED] left the room shortly thereafter."
"At or just after 2:00 a.m., [REDACTED] entered the alumni room. While present in the alumni room, he consumed ketamine off Complainant's body, as discussed further in Section IV.I below. At or around 2:15 a.m., [REDACTED] entered the alumni room. While present, he kissed Complainant and consumed ketamine off her body, as discussed further in Section IV.E below. At or around 2:30 a.m., Respondents [REDACTED] entered the alumni room. At or around 5:00 a.m., Complainant, [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] moved from the alumni room to a common space on the fourth floor of the Chi Phi house known within the fraternity as the "Pentz" - off of which was the bedroom shared by [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] - after which they proceeded into a smaller room adjacent to the Pentz called the "foffice." The foffice included both storage space and an alcove where [REDACTED] had arranged a work space with at least one desk, a computer, and two chairs. While in the foffice, sexual activity occurred involving Complainant engaging in oral sex with [REDACTED], as discussed further in Section IV.I below, and vaginal-penile sex between Complainant and [REDACTED] as discussed further in Section IV.J below. After that sexual activity ended, Complainant slept in [REDACTED] bed with him before returning to her residence. Between 1:42 a.m. and 2:27 a.m. on October 20, 2024, multiple Respondents wrote messages and otherwise interacted with a Snapchat group chat titled "Chi Phi Actives" (the "Actives group") that consisted of approximately 40 or more active members of the Chi Phi fraternity. That sequence of activity was captured by a videorecording contained in Appendix C (the "Snapchat video") and summarized by the Investigator during the investigation (App. C, 21). Complainant had no contemporaneous knowledge of the existence of such messages. The Snapchat video showed a message at 1:42 a.m. that read, "Free pussy in alum pu[.]" (App. C, 21). The Panel found by a preponderance of the evidence - including multiple Respondents' statements - that "alum" referred to the alumni room and that "pu" was an abbreviation of the phrase "pull up," which indicated an invitation. The Panel further found that the word "pussy" more likely than not referred to female sexual anatomy, specifically, the vagina. Complainant corresponded directly with [REDACTED] by text message after the night of October 19, 2024."
"Complainant consumed ketamine in powdered form on the night of October 19, 2024. During the hearing on May 2, 2025, Complainant described her experience of the effects of ketamine to include feeling like her "lights were on, but no one was home," which she indicated was a state of "vague consciousness" wherein she "d[id]n't know what's going on from thing to thing." (Trans. 5/2; 21, 63, 64) At the hearing on May 5, she elaborated on her experience of that effect by saying, "You look like an operating human being. [...] You don't look dead or asleep necessarily. So, lights are on, but nobody's home. Your brain is not functioning at its proper level." (Trans. 5/5; 90) The Panel found this "lights on, nobody home" description consistent with the known "dissociative" effect of ketamine repeatedly emphasized in the expert materials. "
"B. Complainant's First Consumption of Ketamine Complainant consistently recounted that she consumed ketamine with [REDACTED] close in time to their threesome activity on October 19, 2024. She referenced it as "the first time" she did ketamine that night during recorded telephone calls with [REDACTED] that took place on or about November 6 and 7. (App. B, 171-173; App. C, 24, 28, 38) In her November 14 interview, she explained that while she did not have an independent memory of consuming ketamine for the first time that evening, she nonetheless "kn[e]w" it occurred based on an experience with ketamine later in the night, when she "remember[ed] thinking [it] was [her] second time doing it" and that she "already did it once [before]" (App. A; 47, 70) Complainant likewise indicated in her November 15 CUPD statement about that experience, "[I]t hit me that I had taken [ketamine on the couch with [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] earlier in the night. [...] I remember smoking marijuana but the ketamine [...] I have zero memory of. All I could remember was the feeling that I had already done [ketamine once]." Complainant said at the hearing on May 2, 2025, "I know that it was given to me. [REDACTED] also did it. It was on the couch[;] it was the three of us had ketamine. [...] I know it sounds super weird to say. I know it happened, but I don't remember it." (Trans. 5/2; 32) In [REDACTED]'s November 7, 2024, recorded call with Complainant (the "November 7 call"), he said about himself, Complainant, and [REDACTED] in the alumni room that night, "[W]e're on the couch, and it's starting. And then after like 10 minutes, we slowed down a bit. Then [REDACTED] pulled out the ['liquor'], and we drank it. And then we started smoking from there, maybe another five to 10 minutes afterwards. And then the K started happening." (App. C, 29) [REDACTED] also submitted a written statement during the investigation dated March 17, 2025 (his "March 17 statement"), regarding what occurred after the threesome activity. He wrote in this regard, "I inquired for ketamine from [REDACTED]. [...] He poured the powder on a small key for himself and snorted it, then handed me the key and the bag which contained the ketamine. I poured myself several keys' worth and inhaled them in rapid succession." (App. B, 259) He continued, "[Complainant] did not ingest any ketamine at this point however, she shared a sip of Jamaican liquor along with me and [REDACTED]." (App. B, 259) In [REDACTED]'s interview, he said about the threesome activity and thereafter, "[We started having sex in my room, the three of us. [...] We stopped, took a break. And that's when [REDACTED] noticed a bag of ketamine [...] And so, [REDACTED] offers us, 'Hey, do you want to do some?' I said, 'Sure.' [Complainant] declined at that point. So, we didn't really push her past that."
"At the hearing on May 12, 2025, [REDACTED] first said about this time of the night, "We were all sitting on the couch talking. [...] [REDACTED] reaches over, sees [the bag of ketamine], picks it up, asks if we want some." (Trans. 5/12; 60-61) He also stated, "[Complainant] said no, she'd never done it before. We didn't ask again." Later in the hearing, when asked about what, if any, substances [REDACTED] gave to Complainant, [REDACTED] said, "I guess, ketamine, alcohol, weed. [...] Me and [REDACTED] did it, we offered it to her. She chose to take it. We didn't force her to do anything." (Trans. 5/12; 149) In assessing the totality of the information provided in this regard, the Panel weighed Complainant's description of having ingested ketamine with [REDACTED] against the latter two's account that she did not. The Panel first considered Complainant's candor regarding not having a specific memory of consuming ketamine at that time to be reasonably against her self-interest and therefore somewhat indicative of credibility in her account, which the Panel noted was first provided close in time to the October 19 incidents and remained materially consistent thereafter. The Panel also considered Complainant's lack of ability to remember the details of this consumption consistent with the typical effects of ketamine described in the expert materials. Likewise, the Panel noted Complainant's lack of memory regarding many of her subsequent experiences with [REDACTED] as discussed in Section IV.C below, and found consumption of ketamine consistent with the same. By contrast, the Panel noted that [REDACTED] both confirmed that ketamine consumption occurred in the alumni room at that time and yet offered materially contrasting memories of how the ketamine was introduced, which reduced the weight attributed to both accounts. In addition, the Panel afforded less weight to [REDACTED]'s written statement than those made during his recorded call with Complainant, given that his written statement was submitted after he received notice of the Complaint allegations and therefore after he may have had a general motive to indicate that Complainant did not consume ketamine in his presence. Additionally, the Panel noted the apparent discrepancy in [REDACTED] both stating that [REDACTED] alone initiated the use of the ketamine and also using the pronoun "we" in the same context to indicate that the two of them "didn't really push" or "ask" Complainant about it. The Panel found that this repeated inconsistency reduced the credibility of his account in this regard. The Panel further considered [REDACTED]'s statement at the hearing, wherein he grouped ketamine with substances that he and [REDACTED] "offered" Complainant and that she "chose to take," to reasonably indicate that she did ingest ketamine with the two of them at or around the time of the threesome activity."
"Finally, the Panel considered the totality of the circumstances presented, including its findings, discussed in Sections IV.H and IV.J below, that [REDACTED] both separately gave Complainant ketamine at later points in the night [REDACTED]. The Panel therefore considered their provision of ketamine to Complainant at this earlier point of the night to be consistent with a pattern of conduct they each demonstrated later in time. The Panel also considered Complainant's alcohol consumption prior to her arrival at the Chi Phi house, her friendship with [REDACTED], and her undisputed strong attraction for [REDACTED] - the feeling of which she described in her November 15 interview as a "chokehold," adding that she would have done "anything to please [him]" at the time. (App. A, 35) Understanding a typical effect of alcohol to be lowered inhibition in the context of the three parties having engaged in sexual activity together and having consumed alcohol and marijuana together, the Panel found based on the preponderance of the evidence that Complainant ingested ketamine with [REDACTED] in the alumni room on the night of October 19 close in time to the threesome activity."
Party Accounts and Additional Evidence
"In her November 14 interview, Complainant indicated that, at some point during the night of October 19, 2024, when she was "naked" in [REDACTED] bed, "two guys named [REDACTED]" entered the room. (App. A, 62) She recalled being introduced to them while [REDACTED] were also in the room. She described them as "standing" at the foot of the bed, adding, "They felt more like voyeurs than anything in the situation. They didn't get as comfortable as everybody else did." Although she was "unsure" of the particular "sequence of the[] events," she then recalled certain interactions with [REDACTED] exiting the bed while naked and "flexing," and being "berated with compliments." (App. A; 68-70, 72) She also indicated that [REDACTED] asked to ingest ketamine off her body and that she agreed in some form. She continued, "I remember lying down and covering my face up [...] And they just poured all sorts of stuff all over me and did all sorts of drugs off my body. [...] Several lines [were] done by almost everybody." (App. A, 73) In her November 15 interview, she stated, "I'm not even sure if the two [REDACTED] are in Chi Phi. [...] But they were all partaking in the drugs because they did them off of my body. But I did put my hands over my face at that point." (App. A; 126-127) In her February 7 interview, Complainant said, "[T]he [REDACTED], as far as I know, were voyeurs. Well, except the times that they did drugs off my body, and who knows if they touched anything while they were doing that[.]" (App. A, 137) Although she did not know what either of them looked like after that night, Complainant consistently indicated that either Respondent [REDACTED] or [REDACTED] asked if she was okay or otherwise physically supported her after [REDACTED] entered the alumni room and told everyone to leave. (See, e.g., App. B, 32) Respondent [REDACTED] consistently stated in his interviews, documentary submissions, and at the hearing that he did not observe Complainant naked at any time or partake in any drug use while in the alumni room on the night of October 19, 2024. At the hearing on May 21, 2025, he indicated that he did not know Complainant prior to the night of October 19. During Respondent [REDACTED]'s December 16 interview, he described being at the party at the Chi Phi house that night, after which he went to [REDACTED] room. He submitted a record of a ten-second call with [REDACTED] at 2:23 a.m. on October 20. (App. B, 307) In his December 16 interview, he recalled inviting [REDACTED] to join him in [REDACTED] room during that call. He continued, "I was hitting ['a nicotine vape'] at this point, and it was almost dead[.... A]nd by the time [REDACTED] got there, we sat and talked for about two minutes, and [REDACTED] got up and left the room. We didn't know why[.]" (App. A, 370)"
"After about 10 to 15 minutes with [REDACTED] still being gone, I checked my phone and in [the Actives group] there was a text message [...] that said, "Free pussy in alumni." [...] I had no idea what the text meant. I was kind of befuddled. So, me and [REDACTED] talked about it. And the person that sent the text message [REDACTED], he lived in that room, and I knew he had a vape, and my vape had just died. And we also speculated that maybe this is why [REDACTED] had got up and left. He added, "So, my vape had died. I knew [REDACTED] had one, and because of [REDACTED] leaving us not knowing the nature of if this was a joke or what was going on in the [alumni] room, me and [REDACTED] decided to go into that room." (App. A, 370). During the hearing on May 21, Respondent [REDACTED] explained that [REDACTED] had actually left his room before [REDACTED] arrived, without indicating where he was going. About what happened when he and [REDACTED] entered the alumni room on October 20, 2024, Respondent [REDACTED] said during his December 16 interview that he saw Complainant and [REDACTED] all in or on [REDACTED] bed. He indicated that Complainant was under bed coverings at the time. He said that he sat on the couch and conversed with [REDACTED] for some minutes before asking both [REDACTED] and Complainant if they were "all right" - both of whom responded affirmatively - and exiting the room with [REDACTED]. (App. A, 371) He recalled an interaction with Complainant before exiting in which she "laughed" about both his and [REDACTED]'s first names being "[REDACTED]" (App. A, 372). He estimated that he was in the alumni room for "[n]o more than five minutes" that night. (App. A, 380) About his decision to go to the alumni room that night, Respondent [REDACTED] stated, "[B]y no means were we going there to get free pussy[....] That was not our intentions at all. We were just checking out to see if everything was okay[.]" (App. A, 377) During the hearing on May 21, 2025, he stated that after seeing the "free pussy in alumni" message, he "started to get kind of worried that that's where [REDACTED] had went" and that he "believe[d] [REDACTED] was intoxicated at the time." (Trans. 5/21; 110, 116) He continued, "I was just worried cause again, the text was really out there. I had never seen something like that. [...] I just didn't know what [REDACTED] was doing and kind of if something was bad, I wanted to get him out of there." (Trans. 5/21; 110-111) He also said, "[T]he text could have meant anything. There was a lot of things going through my head. I didn't know if there was a lot of girls in there or what was going on[....] But again, free pussy just seems like someone could have been in danger. It's just free. What does free mean? Again, I don't know. That's why it could have meant anything." (Trans. 5/21; 113) He also said, "If someone's having sex with someone in the room, they're not gonna send that text out. So, again, I just didn't know what was really happening in the room," and, "I just didn't think it was real." (Trans. 5/21; 111, 114)
"Respondent [REDACTED] further noted that although the alumni room was "a bedroom where a lot of people would go to hang out if they didn't want to be in their room or if they had nothing to do," he personally "just wasn't really close with the [residents of the room as of October 19, 2024]. So, [he]'d go to [his] other friends' rooms to hang out," adding, "I was rarely ever in [the alumni room]." (Trans. 5/21; 104) During the investigation, Respondent [REDACTED] submitted a record of a ketamine test performed by Omega Laboratories that indicated that his hair follicles were collected on November 26, 2024, and tested for ketamine presence (his "ketamine test"). The ketamine test came back "[n]egative" for the drug. (App. B.1; 8) At the hearing on May 21, Respondent [REDACTED] stated that Omega Laboratories personnel told him at the time of collection, "[E]ven if you take [ketamine] one time, it can stay in your hair for up to three to six months." (Trans. 5/21; 168) [REDACTED]'s Timeline indicated that he "called [Respondent [REDACTED]] and went to [REDACTED]'s room" at or around 2:23 a.m. on October 20, 2024. (App. B, 272) In [REDACTED]'s December 9 interview, he described that he and Respondent [REDACTED] noted a Snapchat message to the Actives group that read, "Free pussy in alumni," after which they went to the alumni room. (App. A, 330) He continued, "We saw that text and were somewhat concerned but thought it could just be crude humor." (App. A, 330) He also wrote in his Timeline, "[Respondent [REDACTED]]'s vape had died, and he wanted to borrow someone else's. He knew [REDACTED] had a vape in [the alumni] room. [Respondent [REDACTED]] asked if I wanted to go check it out, and I agreed. [Respondent [REDACTED]] also mentioned that he thought [REDACTED] was pretty inebriated while they were hanging out so we wanted to check on him." (App. B, 272) About what happened after they entered the alumni room minutes later, [REDACTED] recalled seeing Complainant under bed coverings, with [REDACTED] all in or on the same bed. He recalled being in the room for "[f]ive minutes, maybe" (App. A, 344) and consistently stated that he both arrived and left with Respondent [REDACTED]. He likewise consistently indicated that he did not observe any drug use or Complainant naked at any time he was present in the alumni room that night. On December 9, 2024, [REDACTED] signed a document titled "Acknowledgement of Understanding of [Respondent [REDACTED]]'s Involvement," in which he affirmed that Respondent [REDACTED] "did not make any physical contact with [Complainant]" and "did not snort or consume drugs on or near [Complainant]." (App. B, 306) At the hearing on May 15, 2025, [REDACTED] indicated that when he inquired about taking a hair follicle test for ketamine, he was told by the company Request A Test that the test is accurate for presence of the drug for up to "90 days." (Trans. 5/15; 71) During [REDACTED]'s interview, he recalled about after [REDACTED] consumed ketamine off Complainant's body, "two guys walked in, [Respondent [REDACTED]] and [REDACTED]. They introduced themselves, started talking, and [Complainant] invited them in." (App. A, 186) He continued, "And then, [REDACTED] are telling [REDACTED] about how they did ketamine off of [Complainant's] chest. [...] And then, both [REDACTED] asked her if they could do ketamine off her chest too, because [REDACTED] had told them about it. She said yeah, so they did." (App. A, 187) "
"He did not recall who poured that ketamine or how much they consumed. He also indicated that Complainant "got up out of the bed and started doing like a bodybuilder pose" while [REDACTED] were in the alumni room. (App. A, 186) "
"In [REDACTED]'s January 8 interview, he recalled entering the alumni room in the early morning hours of October 20 and talking with Complainant and [REDACTED]. He continued, "At some point, then the door opens in the room. I look back and I see [Respondent [REDACTED]] has entered the room. Then, I can't recall if it was right behind him or a little bit later at some point [REDACTED] walks into the room as well." In the hearing on May 14, 2025, [REDACTED] explained, "I believe sometime shortly before [REDACTED] asked to ingest ketamine off of Complainant's body, I remember actually hearing the door and glancing back and seeing them, but I actually don't recall where they were exactly when he said those words specifically." (Trans. 5/14; 144) In his January 27 interview, [REDACTED] said that he and [REDACTED] then ingested ketamine off Complainant's body. In the hearing on May 14, he stated about that time, "I had not heard or seen [Respondent [REDACTED]] since I heard that door open in the moment, but I think I had the impression that they were in the room too somewhere in the background." (Trans. 5/14; 147) When asked what gave him the impression that Respondent [REDACTED] was still in the room at that time, [REDACTED] answered, "I just didn't recall hearing the door open again." (Trans. 5/14; 147) In his January 27 interview, he said about what happened next, "I remember at some point, [Respondent [REDACTED]] just comes up to me. I'm not sure what he said, but he just walks up to me because he's one of my friends. [...] I don't remember the exact words he said to me, but I just remember him coming up to me, and then, going back to talking with, I believe, it was [REDACTED]." (App. A, 428) He recalled that the next thing that happened was Complainant exiting the bed and "flexing her muscles to everybody in the room," after which [REDACTED] "came into the room and basically kick[ed] everyone out[.]" (App. A, 428) He did not remember Respondent [REDACTED] inhaling ketamine off Complainant's body. [REDACTED] each consistently recalled - both at their respective interviews and at the hearing - that they observed Respondent [REDACTED] exiting the alumni room at or around 5:00 a.m. when they went to that room with [REDACTED]."
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