Jane Doe's Post-Assault Texts Fuel Cornell Consent Debate
TMZ published text messages Thursday that Cornell's Jane Doe sent one of seven men she accuses of rape. She wrote that none of the sexual stuff was illegal.
- 7 fraternity members are accused; none has been charged, and all deny the allegations.
- 2 accused men, Newell and Ingalls, were expelled after Cornell's Title IX investigation.
- Local prosecutors declined to charge the men.
- Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James to investigate.
Why it matters: The texts go to consent, the core question in Doe's civil case. Her lawyer and the accused men read them in opposite ways.
- Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said she showed classic symptoms of delayed recognition.
- The Federalist and Breitbart faulted The New York Times and CBS New York for partial quotes.
- CBS New York said its reporter reviewed the full exchange before publishing.
How 13 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage divides over whether Doe's texts show consent or reflect what her lawyer calls delayed recognition of an assault.
Center coverage, 1 sources: The center focuses on public figures, including Rep. Nancy Mace, weighing in on whether the encounter was consensual.
Left coverage, 7 sources: The left sees the case as proof that Cornell's Title IX system fails survivors with light punishments.
Right coverage, 5 sources: The right sees the texts as undermining the rape claim and accuses major outlets of omitting key passages.
What’s next: James' office is examining whether Doe was the victim of a crime.
- Doe's civil suit against the seven men and Cornell proceeds.
- What evidence will the attorney general's review weigh beyond the texts?
- Does the civil suit contain the evidence Doe's lawyer describes as a mountain?
