The Cornell sexual assault case is making headlines once again—this time with a twist that even the stars might not have seen coming! As we dive deeper into legal drama that has everyone talking, there’s a surprising development: one of the accused, the former Chi Phi fraternity president, has been dropped from the lawsuit. This news, stirred into the pot of public outrage, adds another layer to a narrative filled with serious allegations and a quest for justice. Under the alias Jane Doe, a former student alleged that she was gang raped and drugged, which has not only ignited a powerful outcry but also left us questioning: in a world where cosmic forces influence our lives, what celestial alignment sends this former president packing while others remain in the firing line? Buckle up, because the next chapters of this story hold revelations that may very well turn the tides for everyone involved!
The viral Cornell sexual assault case has one less name on the docs.
The recent update in the legal feud may spark mixed reactions, as the lawsuit no longer names the former Chi Phi president. This comes amid public uproar and scrutiny of the allegations that have made headlines since becoming public.
A former undergraduate student filed a civil lawsuit under the alias Jane Doe, alleging that she was gang raped and drugged in the Chi Phi house by members of the fraternity at Cornell University two years ago.

A former president of the Cornell University fraternity, where a then-undergraduate student alleged she was gang raped in October 2024, has been officially dropped from the lawsuit.
The case took a new turn on Tuesday, October 20, after it was found that he was mistakenly identified as the chapter president at the time of the alleged attack. According to court documents, all parties agreed to drop the named former president permanently from the case.
“It is hereby stipulated by and between counsel for all parties that this matter is discontinued with prejudice as to Orazio Petito. Furthermore, the plaintiff holds Mr. Petito, his counsel, harmless from any liens that are known and/or unknown at this time,” the court filing read.
Petito’s attorney, Eric Bernstein, spoke to ABC News, saying, “My client deserved to be released from this case. They had the wrong the guy, and justice was served as far as Mr. Petito was concerned. We are all pleased with the outcome, and it was the right outcome.”
Petito was never accused of participating in the alleged act but was named in the lawsuit by Jane Doe, who claimed he was responsible for supervising and maintaining a safe condition for the chapter’s fraternity house and its members.
According to the outlet, New York Attorney General Letitia James is still conducting an investigation into the incident. The Ivy League institution claims it is also conducting an internal probe of its response to the allegations.
Jane Doe alleges she filed a complaint with Cornell campus police in November 2024, three weeks after the incident. In her complaint, she detailed that she was drugged and raped by a group of men at the Chi Phi fraternity house; however, the University did not carry out strict disciplinary action against the frat brothers.
All seven fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied wrongdoing, and no criminal charges have been filed. Their names are Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretzschmar.

According to Jane Doe’s lawsuit, the men snorted ketamine off her body, took turns violating her sexually against her consent, and took pictures of her, which they uploaded to their group chat. The pictures reportedly showed Jane Doe incapacitated but portrayed her as a “free p–sy” ad for other members of the fraternity to join in on the heinous act.
Norris released a statement through his attorney denying that he participated in sexually assaulting the then-undergraduate student. As shared by The Blast, Norris admitted that he engaged with the pictures on their group chat but did not physically participate or drop by the room where the assault allegedly took place.
Kretzschmar also pushed back at the accusations, claiming he had proof of his innocence. He released a statement via his lawyer, Jeremy Saland, saying that his follicle test showed there was no ketamine in his system.
“He never snorted ketamine, never has snorted ketamine, and the allegations against him are false,” Saland maintained, adding that his client “never sexually assaulted or even touched” Jane Doe.
Los Angeles-based civil attorney Tre Lovell gave his views on the case, explaining it from a legal standpoint. He revealed that there are different possible outcomes for the case, stressing that criminal charges are on the table.
The legal expert stated that if the investigators can substantiate the claims about the alleged sexual assault incident detailed in the civil complaint, the accused Chi Phi brothers are likely to face criminal charges.
Lovell noted, however, that not all of them may be charged and that criminal charges do not equate to a conviction, as The Blast reported.
In his words, if Jane Doe’s claims are “corroborated and substantiated,” the accused men would “probably be charged, at least some of them. [Although] at that point, whether or not they get convicted, that’s a much, much different question.”

Thomas Giuffra, Jane Doe’s legal representative, told media outlets that she has “received multiple threats” as many have tried to intimidate them. He labeled the threats as “disgusting,” adding that it was appalling to see how people seem to want to “protect” the accused students.
In an earlier release, The Blast reported that the accuser claims she received several warnings via calls and text messages to withdraw the case, with her safety on the line.
“Can’t guarantee you’ll be safe,” one message allegedly read, while another directly told her to “withdraw the case” if she cared about her family’s safety.
Giuffra shared that despite the backlash and threats his client has received, they are not afraid and are ready to see the case through to the end.
In the midst of all this, Jane Doe has received support from many netizens and protesters who have voiced demands for stronger protections against sexual violence and accountability from educational institutions.
Will any of the accused Cornell 7 also have their name dropped from the case?
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