Cornell Jane Doe Recording Reveals Frat Brother Disputing Her Account: 'You Did Tell Me You Were Sober'

A newly reported recording captures a Cornell fraternity member disputing Jane Doe's account of the night she alleges she was sexually assaulted, telling her: 'You did tell me you were sober, by the way.'

The phone call, recorded by Doe weeks after the October 2024 incident at Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity house, offers a glimpse into the conflicting accounts surrounding the case.

Doe had contacted Matthew Ingalls, the fraternity member who invited her to the house, saying she wanted to understand what had happened that night.

Recorded Call Reveals Conflicting Accounts

'The only way for me to heal is to know what happened,' Doe told Ingalls, according to the recording obtained and reviewed by ABC News.

During the conversation, Doe said she had been drinking heavily before arriving and described physical and psychological effects that she said followed the encounter.

She also questioned how multiple men ended up in the bedroom. At one point in the call, Doe described the incident bluntly: 'What y'all did would be classified as gang rape.'

Ingalls disputed her recollection, telling her: 'You did tell me you were sober, by the way. You did, you said you hadn't been anywhere.'

Doe rejected his account, saying she was certain she had told him she had been drinking at a sorority event. 'You already knew when I came in, I was 10 shots deep,' she said.

At another point, Ingalls suggested that both of their memories might be inaccurate. Doe pushed back, saying she remembered looking up and thinking there were too many people in the room.

The recording does not independently establish whether the alleged sexual assault occurred or whether Doe consented. Ingalls has denied wrongdoing and has not been criminally charged.

Records Add Context to Cornell Case

The call is part of a wider set of records the outlet reviewed, including communications from Cornell's internal investigation into the allegations.

The outlet also reported that Ingalls had posted a photograph of Doe in bed to a fraternity Snapchat group and invited other members to the room.

Some fraternity members discussed contacting Doe after she reported the incident, with witnesses describing those efforts as 'damage control.'

Doe has alleged in a civil lawsuit that seven Chi Phi members sexually assaulted her while she was incapacitated after consuming alcohol and drugs. The men have denied wrongdoing, and the allegations have not been established in court.

Cornell's internal investigation resulted in disciplinary action against several students, according to records reported by ABC News. The university has also faced scrutiny over its handling of the case.

Criminal Investigation Reopened

Doe reported the incident to Cornell police in November 2024, but criminal charges were not initially brought. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten later reopened the investigation and said evidence would be presented to a grand jury.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul subsequently appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, amid criticism of how the original investigation was handled. James' office is now involved in the renewed criminal investigation.

The newly reported recording is therefore one part of an expanding evidentiary record surrounding the disputed allegations. The seven men named in Doe's lawsuit continue to deny wrongdoing, while the reopened criminal investigation remains ongoing.