Syracuse University, Sigma Chi fraternity, and Delta Delta Delta sorority are being sued by our client, Jane Doe, alleging she was drugged and raped at the fraternity’s chapter house in 1991.

Our lawsuit names the current Sigma Chi Treasurer and President, and Delta Delta Delta Treasurer and President, along with the relevant local and national Greek organizations. Allegations of negligence are made against all of the defendants associated with Greek life. Furthermore, Doe is suing Syracuse University for negligence, negligent breach of assumed responsibilities, and negligent misrepresentation.

In September of 1991, Delta Delta Delta and Sigma Chi held a welcoming event for the sorority’s newly accepted members, including Doe. The party took place at the Sigma Chi fraternity house and was said to have a trash can containing a punch made out of 190-proof grain alcohol. Our client said she learned later that a separate thermos of the punch had also been mixed with ecstasy.

Doe claims that once she began drinking, she became inebriated rapidly.

Our lawsuit alleges that Plaintiff went upstairs with Defendant Roe, where he started to kiss her in a bedroom. She clarified that she had no interest in having sexual intercourse, was already in a relationship, and said “no, don’t do that” when the Defendant kept attempting to perform sexual activities.

The lawsuit claims that another person from the fraternity entered the room but did nothing to halt the assault. Subsequently, Doe went to the University Health Services and reported the incident to the police.

Doe claims that when she attempted to go to a Delta Delta Delta meeting after the news of her assault was printed in The Daily Orange on September 23, 1991, she was informed that she was no longer welcome in the sorority.

Doe was intimidated by members of Delta Delta Delta for bringing forward a report of rape, claiming that it could cause difficulties for the sorority, fraternity, and its members, and “spoil their senior year.”

According to our lawsuit, the university failed “to reasonably and safely manage and oversee the actions of the Fraternity and Sorority Defendants despite undertaking such obligations to do so and actively promoting to students and Plaintiff their purported qualities and membership.”

The university also failed to “accurately disclose” the risks of participating in Greek life at SU and failed “to offer, provide or identify for Plaintiff any of the services and advocacy available to her at the Unviersity following her report of being raped.”

Our lawsuit was filed under the New York Adult Survivor’s Act, which provided a one-year window wherein people could submit civil sexual assault complaints.