Newly uncovered text messages between Jane Doe, the alleged victim, and Jonathan Newell, one of the fraternity brothers accused in the Cornell 7 case, have raised new concerns. In the messages, Jane comforted Jonathan about the night of the incident, stating that “our body, our choice.” Days later, she accused the seven men of treating her like an adult industry worker and criticized Jonathan for sending a group text to other fraternity members, inviting them to take turns with her during the alleged incident.
Jonathan was one of the members of Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity, accused of being involved in a sexual encounter with Jane on October 19, 2024. During discussions with campus police later, Jonathan mentioned that he agreed to participate in a threesome with Jane and another fraternity member, Matthew Ingalls. He understood that Matthew had asked Jane for permission on his behalf and noted that both he and Matthew had consumed a lot of alcohol and drugs that night.
According to Jane’s lawsuit, a Snapchat message sent by Jonathan invited others to join them in the bedroom. The message reportedly encouraged other fraternity members to participate, leading to several joining in and taking turns with Jane. She claimed that she was given alcohol and other substances during the encounter and alleged that she was sexually assaulted for hours.
After the party, Jonathan sent Jane a message apologizing for how things turned out. He admitted that his memory of the events was unclear and expressed regret for not stopping things before they escalated. He recognized that rumors about the incident were spreading on campus.
In response, Jane thanked Jonathan for his message, sharing that her own memories of the night were not clear either. She mentioned that she had faced some gossip from other students but reassured him. Jane stated that she did not think anything that happened was illegal and expressed that she enjoyed being with him and Matthew.
In their exchange, Jane noted that the additional men in the room should have left. She pointed out that while it would have been better if only four people had been present, it was ultimately up to them to leave. Jane recounted a specific moment from that night, mentioning using a substance off of Jonathan’s body.
What do you think about the details that have emerged in this case?
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Source: Bored Panda, by Gabija Saveiskyte