A New York state judge has ruled that a woman alleging she was drugged and raped by students at Cornell University may continue to use a pseudonym in her ongoing lawsuit. Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond issued the ruling on Friday, determining that the woman’s privacy interests, specifically regarding her safety, outweigh any requirement for her identity to be publicly disclosed during court proceedings.
The plaintiff, who was 20 years old at the time of the alleged incident in 2024, filed her lawsuit on September 16. The allegations center on an event that reportedly took place at a fraternity house on the university’s campus in Ithaca. According to her attorney, Thomas Giuffra, the woman has been the target of threats since coming forward. The defendants in the case have not opposed the request for anonymity, and the plaintiff has been referred to as "Jane Doe" in official filings.
In her written ruling, Judge Perry-Bond noted that "some members of the public have made it their mission to try and identify Jane Doe." The judge issued a stern warning regarding the consequences of such actions, stating that cyberstalking or encouraging threats across state lines against the plaintiff, the defendants, or their legal counsel constitutes a federal crime. She emphasized that individuals engaging in such behavior may face prosecution.
The legal action has had significant repercussions on the Cornell campus. Following the filing of the suit, prosecutors reopened a criminal investigation that had previously been closed without charges. Additionally, students organized mass protests earlier this month to demand the resignation of university president Michael Kotlikoff. Demonstrators criticized the administration’s handling of the allegations and the broader campus climate, chanting for the resignation of leadership, holding signs stating "At Cornell, rapists are safer than women," and painting "SMASH THE PATRIARCHY" on an administration building.
