A Cornell University student described an encounter at the Chi Phi fraternity house in November 2024 as feeling like "coercion," according to a six-page statement provided to campus police and obtained by ABC News. The statement, sworn on November 15, 2024, offers the most detailed account to date of the events that the student, identified as Jane Doe in a civil lawsuit filed two years later, alleges constituted a gang rape. At the time of her statement, however, she did not use the term "rape" to describe the incident.

The student's detailed account was a key factor in the Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten's 2024 decision not to pursue charges. Van Houten, in a recent interview with ABC News, acknowledged the allegations were "morally disturbing" but stated that Doe's 2024 account suggested she had consented to the sexual activity. He further explained that she did not withdraw her consent, and that fraternity members ceased their actions when she expressed concerns.

According to the statement, the student declined a sexual proposition from one fraternity brother. In another instance, she recounted a group of men entering a room where she was present, causing her "instant horror." She stated she "squealed out loud and ran across the room and hiding under the covers on another bed," feeling embarrassed at being seen naked by multiple individuals.

The only instance where the word "rape" appeared in Doe's statement was in her explanation for taking an additional dose of ketamine. She stated her discomfort with the unfolding events led her to believe that if she passed out after taking ketamine again, and the men had sex with her, they could be charged with rape. She also recalled being "totally disgusted at the situation" during a final threesome, feeling "very tired and intoxicated" to an "8 out of 10 level." She described feeling unable to make decisions due to her intoxication, which she stated "felt like coercion."

Doe also asserted in her statement that her level of intoxication should have been apparent to the fraternity members, noting that "they should have known how intoxicated I was based on how I was slurring my words." The district attorney's office has since reopened the case, with Van Houten confirming the decision to re-examine the allegations.

The Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., was the location of the alleged incident. The date of the encounter was approximately one month before the student provided her statement to campus police in November 2024.

This case highlights the complexities surrounding consent, intoxication, and the legal definition of sexual assault. The student's detailed statement, including her use of ketamine and her description of feeling coerced, provides critical information for the reopened investigation.

Further details regarding the reopening of the case by the Tompkins County District Attorney's office and the specific evidence being re-evaluated are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses. The civil lawsuit filed by Jane Doe two years after the incident is also a significant component of the ongoing legal proceedings.