JUST IN: Cornell Jane Doe defended ‘gangbang’ in texts, said ‘our bodies our choice’: report

The text chain, obtained by TMZ, took place between Jonathan Newell and Jane Doe on the evening of October 21, 2024. The incident took place overnight on the 19th of that month at the Chi Phi fraternity.

Newell texted Jane Doe to apologize, saying “my memory’s kinda fuzzy abt a lot of it,” and that he and another member identified as "Matt" “feel like s***” for being too “f*cked up to shut it down and kick people out before it got way out of hand.” He added, “you’re an amazing person and I genuinely hope ur not catching as much heat from this as we r. We’ve been shutting down any stories we’ve heard but again I’m so so sorry.”

Jane Doe replied in all lowercase letters, “aw jonathan i really appreciate this text. my memories super clouded too.” She said she thought everyone was too “drunk and high.” She said she was getting “a little heat,” citing girls in a sorority, “but that’s to be expected. but at the end of the day non of the sexual stuff was illegal and honestly i really liked being w u and matt. so anthing anyone has to say about the gamgbang [sic] is out of their jurisdiction. i don’t think we should feel any shame for the part. our body our choice asf.” The phrase “asf” typically means “as f*ck” in texting.

She said that “while it may have been nice for like only 4 people to have been around, yall were both super out if it and they should have taken it on themselves to leave. at the end of the day you, matt, and i were in your bed and they didn’t need to get up in that.”

“But if you have any regrets or anything you want to talk about i am always here to talk about it cause that was a lot. i really do love u and matt and i promise i wont get quiet and weird w u like i did last time,” she concluded.

While the incident took place in October, she did not go to the police until November. The district attorney declined to bring charges at the time, saying that her participation in drug use and sexual activities had been described in her sworn statement to authorities as “voluntary, conscious, and consensual.” A Cornell investigation resulted in multiple expulsions and suspensions, and the Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus.

The case came back to light in late September of 2026, after Jane Doe filed a lawsuit alleging that she was raped by seven people that night.