Threats, intimidation after Cornell rape lawsuit, accuser told to stay silent

The woman suing Cornell fraternity members over alleged drugging and rape has received threats to withdraw her case, her lawyer said. The case has intensified scrutiny of anonymity, campus Greek life and the handling of the allegations.

In Short

• Lawyer Thomas Giuffra said the accuser was threatened to drop lawsuit
• Giuffra said he too faced threats while representing Jane Doe
• Social media users backed the accuser as others tried naming her

The woman who has alleged she was drugged and raped by Cornell University students has been the target of threats, her lawyer said on Sunday.

Thomas Giuffra, who represents the woman identified as "Jane Doe," told CNN that people have threatened to silence or harm her if she does not withdraw her civil lawsuit alleging that several members of a Cornell fraternity drugged and raped her in 2024.

"She's received multiple threats," Giuffra said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Giuffra said he had also been threatened.

"I'm not afraid of these people," he said. "But the threats, the abuse to protect what's going on, the status quo — these guys are disgusting. They should stay in their mother's basement and stay out of the world."

The identity of Jane Doe has become part of the fevered online conversation surrounding the case. Women on social media have been posting #IamJaneDoe in solidarity with the accuser and to counter some who have sought to publicly name her.

Michael Tracey, an independent journalist and commentator, posted on Friday what he said was the accuser's name, which Reuters was unable to verify, before quickly deleting it, saying his point had been made.

He has expressed sympathy for the accused men over what he says is the harassment they have faced, and described his effort to name the Cornell accuser as journalistic diligence protected under the Constitution as free speech.

He told Reuters on Sunday that he did not wish to encourage threats or harassment against the woman.

"The point, from my perspective, was more about the public-policy implications of this increasingly commonly used tactic in civil litigation, for plaintiffs' attorneys to introduce sensational, reputation-harming allegations using the cloak of anonymity for their clients," Tracey said in an interview.

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said in a video message on Saturday that the university will examine the role of fraternities and sororities on campus following the outcry over the school's handling of the rape allegations.

"At their best, these organizations can provide students with friendship, belonging, mentorship and a powerful sense of community," he said. "But being part of a group can never diminish individual responsibility."

Since the lawsuit was filed last month, prosecutors in Tompkins County, New York, have been criticised for their initial handling of the allegations in 2024. New York Governor Kathy Hochul last week named state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to look into the case.

US President Donald Trump, a critic of James for years, lambasted the decision to appoint her. "And I feel badly for whoever she's looking at because they won't get a fair shake," Trump told reporters on Friday.

Asked about Trump's comment, Giuffra said the case shouldn't be politicised. "It has nothing to do with politics," Giuffra said.

- Ends