Former Cornell fraternity president dropped from Jane Doe lawsuit

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A sorority member at the University of Arizona has alleged she was sexually assaulted by two men at a fraternity house during a night of drinking in late August. The student told the university’s police department that she consensually kissed one of the men at one point while at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house on Aug. 26 but doesn’t remember agreeing to sex, according to search warrant records posted Monday night by KOLD-TV in Tucson.

Cornell InvestigationOrazio Petito was misidentified as frat president at the time of the incident. Watch ABC News live news stream and get 24/7 latest, breaking news coverage, and live video. ByAaron Katersky Tuesday, October 20, 2026 6:06PMA former president of the Cornell University fraternity where a then-undergraduate student alleged she was gang raped in 2024 was dropped Tuesday from her civil lawsuit Tuesday after he was mistakenly identified as the chapter president at the time of the alleged attack. "It is hereby stipulated by and between counsel for all parties that this matter is discontinued with prejudice as to Orazio Petito," a court filing said.  "Furthermore, the plaintiff holds Mr. Petito, his counsel, harmless from any liens that are known and/or unknown at this time. "Petito was never accused of taking part in the alleged assault but was named in the lawsuit as the president of Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity chapter.  He was not the fraternity president at the time the woman, known as Jane Doe, said she was assaulted in October 2024.

Cornell InvestigationOrazio Petito was misidentified as frat president at the time of the incident. Watch ABC News live news stream and get 24/7 latest, breaking news coverage, and live video. ByAaron Katersky Tuesday, October 20, 2026 6:06PMA former president of the Cornell University fraternity where a then-undergraduate student alleged she was gang raped in 2024 was dropped Tuesday from her civil lawsuit Tuesday after he was mistakenly identified as the chapter president at the time of the alleged attack. "It is hereby stipulated by and between counsel for all parties that this matter is discontinued with prejudice as to Orazio Petito," a court filing said.  "Furthermore, the plaintiff holds Mr. Petito, his counsel, harmless from any liens that are known and/or unknown at this time. "Petito was never accused of taking part in the alleged assault but was named in the lawsuit as the president of Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity chapter.  He was not the fraternity president at the time the woman, known as Jane Doe, said she was assaulted in October 2024.

Cornell InvestigationOrazio Petito was misidentified as frat president at the time of the incident. Watch ABC News live news stream and get 24/7 latest, breaking news coverage, and live video. ByAaron Katersky Tuesday, October 20, 2026 6:06PMA former president of the Cornell University fraternity where a then-undergraduate student alleged she was gang raped in 2024 was dropped Tuesday from her civil lawsuit Tuesday after he was mistakenly identified as the chapter president at the time of the alleged attack. "It is hereby stipulated by and between counsel for all parties that this matter is discontinued with prejudice as to Orazio Petito," a court filing said.  "Furthermore, the plaintiff holds Mr. Petito, his counsel, harmless from any liens that are known and/or unknown at this time. "Petito was never accused of taking part in the alleged assault but was named in the lawsuit as the president of Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity chapter.  He was not the fraternity president at the time the woman, known as Jane Doe, said she was assaulted in October 2024.

Allegations of a sexual assault at Cornell University have reopened the debate over fraternities. Seven members of Chi Phi House are accused in a lawsuit of gang rape at a fraternity party in 2024. The men all deny the accusation but a criminal investigation is now underway by the New York State Attorney General. In response to the allegations and public outrage, Cornell has suspended parties and social gatherings at fraternities for the rest of the year. But many are asking if that’s enough. This latest assault allegation follows many other examples of egregious behavior over the years, including sexual assaults and hazing incidents, some of which led to deaths. At Penn State in 2017, sophomore Timothy Piazza died from falling down stairs intoxicated during a hazing ritual. Fraternities are also associated with higher rates of sexual violence.

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