The View co-host Sunny Hostin is facing public criticism after she defended the district attorney’s office involved in the 2024 Cornell University sexual assault case.
During the famed ABC talk show’s Tuesday episode, Hostin discussed the situation involving seven Cornell University fraternity members.
“I have the statement that Jane Doe wrote at that time. It’s several pages long,” Hostin explained at the Hot Topics Table. “I will say that under current New York State law, voluntary intoxication or drug use — and she voluntarily drank a lot and she voluntarily snorted ketamine off of one of the boys’ body parts — she allowed other boys and consented to other boys snorting ketamine off of her body.”
Hostin, who is a former prosecutor, also pointed out, “Under New York law, voluntary intoxication or drug use that merely impairs judgment does not legally constitute an inability to consent to sexual activity.”
The longtime co-host further stated she understood why the Tompkins County District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, didn’t bring charges against the fraternity brothers following the alleged incident.
“If you voluntarily ingest drugs, voluntarily take alcohol, you can agree to have threesomes, which, in her statement, she agreed to have two separate threesomes,” she explained. “One young man did walk in and say, ‘Everybody out.’ So there was one person who did that. According to her statement, three of the young men did not touch her.”
However, Hostin did say that Jane Doe’s new lawsuit should be investigated and taken seriously. She also advised her fellow co-hosts on The View to investigate the situation rather than just read the headlines.
“I say all of that to say the pictures of these young men who have not been charged — not been adjudicated — are being plastered all over the internet,” she declared. “I think people are reporting this story inaccurately. I think they’re reporting it unfairly.”
Hostin further noted, “While this is something that we have to take very seriously, there is no way, according to her statement in 2024, that any prosecutor would’ve brought forth a case.”
News broke about the case earlier this week after Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Cornell University and the seven fraternity members, claiming she was drugged and sexually assaulted for hours in October 2024 at the school’s Chi Phi fraternity house.
Following the incident, Jane Doe said she contacted law enforcement. However, no arrests were made in connection with the case.
Van Houten has since announced he will be opening the case due to the civil suit and leaked Snapchat messages between dozens of fraternity members advertising “free p—y” during the alleged assault.
“Jane Doe’s sworn statement in November of 2024 did not allege that she was drugged against her will or gang raped. On the contrary, Jane Doe’s statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual,” Van Houten shared in a new statement. “My office obviously did not and could not have based our November 2024 decision on the allegations in a civil lawsuit that would not be filed until nearly two years later. Furthermore, I have never been contacted by Jane Doe’s attorneys.”
Jane Doe’s attorney, Thomas P. Giuffra, released a statement to ABC News contradicting Van Houten’s statement.
“In my experience, speaking with an abuse survivor requires delicacy, understanding, and specialized training,” the statement reads. “An average University Police officer would not have these skills. It would be the role of a specially trained detective or district attorney. However, Ms. Doe was never contacted by anybody with those skills.”
Cornell University has also issued a statement, pointing out that allegations of sexual assault on its campus are taken “extremely seriously” and its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards have “investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies.”
“Any suggestion that the University did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” the school stated. “A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.