TV presenter faces backlash after defending Cornell students accused of gang rape

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video TV host Sunny Hostin opened a can of worms as she questioned why the alleged Cornell frat house gang rape accuser’s statements of the details were different. Speaking on the latest episode of the ABC talk show The View, Hostin addressed the controversy surrounding the alleged 2024 gang rape at the top university’s Chi Phi fraternity house. Hostin, a lawyer, questioned the public naming and shaming of the accused, even though no charges have been filed against the men, who have been labelled the ‘Cornell 7.’ A female student who was 20 at the called Jane Doe to protect her identity, is said to have been pressured to take drugs and sexually assaulted by seven men, according to a recent civil lawsuit. The Chi Phi fraternity has been suspended since the incident, Cornell University confirmed (Picture: AP) Hostin said she had read Jane Doe’s first 2024 statement to the police, which claimed the woman ‘voluntarily drank a lot’ and she ‘voluntarily snorted ketamine off of one of the boy’s body parts.’ Citing the statement, the TV host claimed the woman consented to having two threesomes at the frat house, and despite being intoxicated when she arrived, in the eyes of the law, this didn’t preclude her from being able to consent. She said: ‘She was highly intoxicated but had made plans to meet one of the young men. ‘She allowed other boys and consented to other boys snorting ketamine off of her body. ‘And under current New York state law, voluntary intoxication or drug use that merely impairs judgment does not legally constitute an inability to consent.’ Sunny Hostin, a lawyer, questioned why the alleged Cornell gang rape accuser’s details of the events were different in 2024 and in 2026 (Picture: ABC) Hostin said the woman claimed in her initial police statement that ‘three of the men’ didn’t touch her and that one man walked in and told ‘everyone get out.’ She continued: ‘The pictures of these young men who have not been charged and adjudicated are being plastered all over the internet.’ Hostin added that while she has prosecuted sex crimes as a lawyer and women should be believed, ‘in 2024 she said one thing and now in 2026 she is saying another thing.’ However, her co-hosts questioned how someone who is intoxicated can consent despite what the law says, saying the alleged incident comes down to morals. Co-host Sara Haines said: ‘All the legal talk should come after. ‘The most glaring thing for me is that any and all of the men in that room or who were around or got that Snapchat, their humanity rings first, not the law.’ Metro has contacted Hostin’s and ABC’s representatives for a comment. The alleged gang rape at the Cornell University fraternity’s house has sparked a debate around consent and campus sexual assault in the US (Picture: AP) Criminal case reopened after outcry Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit filed earlier this month included graphic details of the alleged attack, including being raped across several rooms at the frat house in Ithaca, New York, while under the influence of ketamine before losing consciousness. A Snapchat message allegedly shared by a male student on the fraternity’s channel said there was ‘free p****’ and invited others to join, the lawsuit detailed. The district attorney decided not to bring criminal charges in 2024, saying Jane Doe’s original statement to Cornell campus police did not claim she was drugged or that she didn’t consent to the sexual activities. The woman’s attorney said authorities didn’t contact his client and only relied on the statement to campus police, which is said to be standard practice across New York counties. But the case has since been reopened following a widespread outcry, including an essay by Florence Pugh who said she was ‘sickened’ by the claims. An alleged member of the ‘Cornell 7,’ Diego Sarabia, who is accused of pressuring Jane Doe into snorting ketamine and drink, is said to have lost his job at a bank following the claims. Cornell University has insisted that ‘any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false’. It said in a statement on September 21: ‘Cornell University is aware of a lawsuit concerning the deeply disturbing allegations of sexual assault involving members of the student community that occurred in 2024. ‘The Cornell Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies. ‘The Xi chapter of Chi Phi fraternity remains barred from our campus. Federal privacy law prohibits Cornell from disclosing specific information regarding individual students and we therefore are unable to make a public statement on any other disciplinary response. Violations of university policies could lead to sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion. We will respond in detail through the legal process. 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Several of the recommendations have already been implemented, while others are in development with oversight by a university implementation committee.’ Arrow MORE: ‘I found explicit deepfakes of me online – then I found out my male friend did it’ Arrow MORE: Boy, 14, stabbed girl who rejected him in chilling echo of Adolescence Arrow MORE: How one woman stepped in to protect others after sexual assaults spiked in her town TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.