Jane Doe is getting death threats as Cornell students stage a 7-hour sit-in denouncing college sexual assault

CNN

By Gloria Pazmino, Holly Yan, Danya Gainor, Maria Sole Campinoti, CNN

Ithaca, New York (CNN) — Gang rape allegations at Cornell University are fueling a firestorm of actions against the school, against fraternity members named in a lawsuit and against the former student known as Jane Doe, whose accusations have galvanized a nationwide reckoning of sexual assault on college campuses.

Doe, who recently filed a lawsuit alleging gang rape at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024, has now received death threats, her attorney Thomas Giuffra said. He provided CNN audio of one of the harassing calls.

Doe was also targeted in a swatting incident, during which police drew guns on her family and a friend, the attorney told CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“The temperature needs to be brought down,” Giuffra said, blaming the threats on commentators who have doxxed the woman and accused her of lying. “I am very concerned for her and her family’s safety.”

Meanwhile, some of the accused fraternity members – and even others who are unrelated to the case but have the same names – have faced public backlash as the investigation unfolds.

And Cornell, which recently announced a former Justice Department official will investigate the school’s handling of sexual assault claims, is the site of a seven-hour sit-in on campus to show “solidarity with Jane Doe,” according to flyers for the event.

The state attorney general has launched a separate investigation as questions mount over how Cornell police handled Jane Doe’s allegations, how much information was shared with the district attorney’s office at the time, why prosecutors initially decided not to file charges, and whether the school’s internal investigation and actions went far enough.

Professors joined students at a rally this week, where demonstrators held signs reading “Justice for every Jane Doe” and “Cornell admin betrays survivors resign now.”

While Cornell’s president expressed his own anger about what happened with Jane Doe’s case, at least one faculty member is now calling for his resignation.

Here’s the latest

Some accused students are still in school: University officials confirmed two students named in Doe’s civil lawsuit last month are still enrolled and attending classes, according to a recording of a virtual webinar obtained by CNN. Some faculty members said they’re struggling to teach classes the accused students are in and raised questions about how to accommodate them and other students.

Faculty member calls for president’s resignation: “There are layers of concerns that need to be addressed. And I think the only way to begin that process is to see resignations and a turnover in our upper administration,” Cornell Faculty Senate member Ariana Kim told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday morning. She specifically called for the resignation of Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff, who was interim president at the time of Doe’s allegations to campus police in 2024.

Doe’s attorney details more threats: Doe has been targeted with threats and attempts to publicize her identity, her attorney told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday night. “Just before I got on with you, somebody called her, made a threat to shoot up her house, shoot her, her mother, her father. She’s calling the police as we speak now,” Giuffra told Cooper. While Doe has received other threats since filing her lawsuit, this was the first phone call, Giuffra said. “We’re terrified,” said the attorney, who previously said that he himself received a threat Sunday morning.

Mayor calls for a pause on student gatherings: The Ithaca Common Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall as Mayor Robert Cantelmo seeks council action on a proposed moratorium on student and special event permits – including Greek life and other student gatherings – following the allegations of gang rape at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024.

No-confidence vote coming: The Faculty Senate will review a resolution for a no-confidence vote before it’s added to the Senate’s meeting agenda for October 14, labor history professor and Faculty Senate member Paul Ortiz said. The Senate is Cornell’s main legislative advisory and review body, with more than 75 members representing the university’s faculty. So far, about 40 senators have supported a resolution to hold a vote of no confidence, Ortiz said. CNN has reached out to Cornell officials for comment.

Students host town hall: Students on Tuesday also hosted a town hall to discuss the ongoing issues on campus. A young woman in attendance said the event had helped “restore my faith in the community.” Another student said they were glad to see the media spotlight being shined on the school. “Sexual violence should make the headlines. It should be shocking, it should be newsworthy because it should be incredibly rare,” they said.

Cornell announces independent review: Former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates will lead an independent review of how Cornell University “prevents and responds to sexual harassment, sexual assault and related misconduct on campus,” the university announced Tuesday. Yates and her team will “conduct a detailed review of the university’s response” to Doe’s allegations, “including whether Cornell followed its policies and procedures in responding to the matter,” the university said.

Sexual violence survivors reach out for help in near-record numbers: Over the past week, calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline are up 73%, and there were more than double the normal number of calls on Monday alone, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, which operates the hotline. Many of those contacting the hotline said reading about Doe’s case inspired them to call, RAINN President Scott Berkowitz said. “We admire – and are so grateful for – Jane Doe’s courage,” Berkowitz said. “RAINN stands with her, as do millions of survivors and supporters across the country.”

Cornell police drafted requests to phone companies: Documents reveal Cornell police drafted letters to wireless carriers while “investigating a sexual assault incident” about a week after Doe first reported the alleged assault to university police. The drafts, addressed to Verizon and T-Mobile, asked them to “preserve all available data,” including texts, calls, and picture and video messages associated with accounts that “may contain evidence pertinent to the ongoing investigation.” It’s not clear whether investigators ever sent those requests or followed up with subpoenas. And it’s also unclear whether Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten was aware of the 2024 draft letters. The DA has said Cornell police only gave his office a six-page statement signed by Doe and Snapchat screenshots in 2024. CNN has asked the carriers whether they received the requests from Cornell and if they complied.

Prosecutors refused additional evidence: The Tompkins County District Attorney’s office declined at the time to review additional evidence, including more interviews gathered by the campus police department, beyond a six-page statement signed by Doe, according to records obtained by The New York Times. Prosecutors did not express interest in the additional evidence because they had decided, based on Doe’s statement, that “criminal charges would not be pursued in this case,” a Cornell police investigator wrote in a note documenting the call, according to the Times.

Help is available: For help in the US, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or chat 24/7 on online.rainn.org.

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CNN’s Hanna Park, Kara Scannell, Taylor Galgano and Isa Mudannayake contributed to this report.