All over America, people are talking about the Cornell Seven. This is the latest case of a group of college boys allegedly raping a young woman. In this case, the school (Cornell) and the state (New York) are being accused of being soft on sex crimes and refusing to prosecute a case.
The names of the young men have been published. At least one has lost a job. The mobs are ginned up and ready for scalps.
Some journalists are urging caution.
If you go strictly by the original “Jane Doe” statement in the story the media desperately wants to turn into the “Cornell Gang Rape”…
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) September 29, 2026
-There was almost no sex, and that part was clearly consensual
-Multiple times the guys stopped when she said to do so
-She makes it clear…
To begin with, the young woman's statement has changed. Initially, she told the police it was mostly consensual.
So I did an amazing thing:
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) September 28, 2026
I read the facts of the case, looked up the relevant law, and figured out why prosecutors wouldn't want to bring charges here. https://t.co/VMOiB4XYLf
Then, an actual lawyer reviewed the facts. He thinks it's pretty clear why charges were not brought.
It wasn't because prosecutors didn't care about rape. It's because they couldn't prove their case.
Well, cool defense atty analysis, but… a few thoughts.
— Marc² (@M5squared) September 28, 2026
You left conspiracy to commit rape out of your analysis. Depending on what those Snapchat messages actually show, and what happened after they were sent, that could be a very real theory here.
Also, you can absolutely be…
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That attorney got some pushback on his analysis, and this was his response.
Probably the most likely to get you to first degree rape is the last threesome, but the problem there is that she ends it by communicating her lack of willingness to continue (tired and needs to go to bed).
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) September 28, 2026
No evidence she was given ketamine without consent from initial…
See, there's a problem. She consented initially and took drugs willingly. She also took drugs that um 'heighten the libido' which likely led her to make some choices she may not have sober.
New York has three degrees of rape:
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) September 28, 2026
First degree: Requires forcible compulsion or being "physically helpless."
Physically helpless means unconscious or unable to communicate consent.
She was conscious. She said "what happened to just you and me."
Not helpless under NY law. pic.twitter.com/bwYZI5eIRX
Also, here are the 'degrees of rape' in New York. Remember, what the public thinks is right or what applies in other states, doesn't matter.
New York has a law around inebriated subjects. If the person willingly drinks alcohol or takes drugs, they can't later claim 'rape' because of substances. If they are forced to take drugs or alcohol, obviously that is different.
Second degree rape requires being mentally incapacitated or disabled.
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) September 28, 2026
But New York law excludes consensual intoxication.
So if you snort ketamine, get drunk, and have sex, you are not disabled.
Someone has to slip it to you.
No second degree. pic.twitter.com/EcFO4IKqZD
Third degree rape requires sex with who does not consent. Victim must CLEARLY state lack of consent.
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) September 28, 2026
Here, by victim's own account, she does not seem to clearly state lack of consent. pic.twitter.com/JaRqpmV87d
All in all, while these young men clearly lack morals and character, whether that rose to a rape charge seems dubious.
I’ve held my tongue for a while, but being from Ithaca, a Cornell alum and a former criminal defense attorney, and seeing how out of hand this story has gotten, I am compelled to comment on the lawsuit alleging a gang rape at Cornell.
— Jenin Younes (@JeninYounesEsq) September 29, 2026
I cannot purport to know what happened one…
This was a dumb bit of viral outrage bait over the weekend. The lawsuit said they had been allowed to write essays to “mitigate” the punishment, and everyone was like “that was the entire punishment.” That’s not what the word mitigate means https://t.co/y84gWat8pM pic.twitter.com/AdxwETRW4J
— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) September 28, 2026
Also, none of the accused was just given an 'essay' as a punishment.
Honestly have not had time to look into the allegations related to the Cornell frat/rape story, but some truly concerning public reactions on here:
— AG (@AGHamilton29) September 29, 2026
1) Allegations are not facts. We have a legal system for a reason. Lawsuits make lots of allegations that are not true. Criminal…
Take a breath. Let the facts come out first.