The lawyer for a woman who said she was raped at a Cornell University fraternity party said he believes more men were involved in the alleged attack than the seven already accused.
Thomas Giuffra, who represents the “Jane Doe” plaintiff in a civil lawsuit against the university, said his client was blacked out at the party for periods of time and may not have known about the additional men.
“We don’t even know the people we have, or the people we definitively know. If you ask me, it was more than seven,” Mr. Giuffra said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We’ll never know because of the inadequate investigation that was done.”
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He said he believes much of the evidence that might have been found on cell phones and other electronic devices has been destroyed because the allegations were not thoroughly investigated.
“I’m confident, knowing this day and age and the group that we’re dealing with, that there were other photos, there were videos, and you know where I think those photos and videos are now? I think they’re in the bottom of Lake Cayuga because once they knew there was a problem, they cleared everything out and they got rid of it,” he said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul last week appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the rape claim.
The unnamed woman initially said nothing illegal happened during a consensual sex encounter at Cornell Phi Chi fraternity house party in October 2024. She later told campus police she was raped but their own investigation did not support the claim.
She is now suing the school, alleging the men sexually assaulted her after providing her with alcohol and ketamine.
Ms. James was appointed to launch a criminal probe into the allegation on Oct. 2.
On Sept. 28, she posted a statement on Facebook that is now calling into question her ability to fairly investigate the matter.
“What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you,” Ms. James posted.
Mr. Giuffra said lawyers from Ms. James’ office have contacted him. He said he believes Ms. James will be impartial.
“It sounds to me that people are being brought in who are experienced in crime and investigating crime. So I think there will be impartiality. I think there’ll be fairness again. I’m troubled by this attempt to politicize something that is not political,” he said.
Mr. Giuffra described the investigation as “a new set of eyes,” looking at his client’s claim. He said he believes the Cornell University Police Department had “evidence of a crime and they didn’t follow up on it.” He said he believes the department engaged in a cover-up.
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