Cornell fraternity member accused in lawsuit was reportedly assigned to stay sober at the party

Jonathan Newell, a Cornell fraternity member named in Jane Doe's civil lawsuit, was reportedly supposed to be one of the sober people in charge on the night she says she was attacked.

A registered party

The Chi Phi gathering in October 2024 was registered with the university under rules meant to make campus parties safer. Paperwork the chapter filed lists Newell as a "trained event monitor," according to confidential records reviewed by The New York Times.

Event monitors are expected to stay sober for the entire event. They also wear clothing that makes them easy to spot so police officers, paramedics or guests can find them quickly if something goes wrong.

What the lawsuit claims

Jane Doe says she was drugged and sexually assaulted by several men at the party. Her suit accuses Newell of posting a crude Snapchat message to a fraternity group chat that night.

In texts exchanged two days after the party, Newell reportedly told her he and another member felt terrible for being too intoxicated to step in and clear the room. In the same conversation he said he had no memory of a moment involving drugs that she described.

He also wrote that if he had been more aware he would have ended things as soon as other men began entering the room, according to the messages.

A civil case

The claims come from Jane Doe's civil lawsuit and have not been proven in court.