A New York state prosecutor has reopened a criminal investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024 after a civil lawsuit filed last week by the alleged victim drew national attention.

In a lengthy statement released on Monday, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced that he had started pursuing criminal charges against seven fraternity members and would present the case to a grand jury. 

He also sought to explain why he initially decided not to prosecute them.

According to Van Houten, the woman identified in the civil lawsuit as "Jane Doe" did not say that she was "drugged against her will or gang raped" in her 2024 sworn statement to police.

"On the contrary, Jane Doe's statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual," Van Houten said. "My office obviously did not and could not ...