Megyn Kelly Says She Is Weighing Naming the Cornell Accuser on Her Show

Megyn Kelly said on Monday that she has confirmed the identity of the Cornell University student suing seven former fraternity members over an alleged gang rape, and that she is considering saying the woman's name on her show. She has not made up her mind.

If she did it, Kelly would be breaking one of the most consistent norms in American journalism. Major news organizations generally do not identify people who say they were sexually assaulted unless those people choose to come forward. The woman is listed in court papers only as Jane Doe, but the seven men she accuses have been named publicly.

"I know her name... no one in the mainstream media has said it," Kelly, a former Fox News and NBC anchor, said on The Megyn Kelly Show. "And as you know, I've been seriously considering just saying it."

Why Megyn Kelly Says She Hasn't Named Jane Doe

Kelly explained her hesitation in the same breath. "The reason I haven't is because I don't want to do anything to hurt this young woman," she said. "My real complaint is that she doesn't get named and the young men do. That's what I'm pissed about."

"I have no wish to unleash a lynch mob on her," she added. "I haven't totally made my decision."

Later in the episode she returned to the question with Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute. Kelly said she had confirmed the name "from actual credible sources, not the online trolls who are out there pushing it."

"I don't answer to a news organization now. I answer to myself. I'm on the fence because I don't want any harm to come to her, additional harm," Kelly said. She argued that withholding the name "is a perpetuation of the dynamic...

Mac Donald said her "initial instinct is hell yes, reveal her name," but added: "But to have that all on your shoulders would be extremely difficult."

Kelly's view of the case is clear. She said she believes the woman "made up a lie about being gang raped," and she spent part of the segment talking about the accuser's appearance. That is Kelly's opinion. The allegations have not been proven in any court, and NBC News reported that none of the seven men has been criminally charged.

What the Law and the Media Norm Say

New York's Civil Rights Law §50-b makes the identity of a sex-offense victim confidential in police reports, court files and other public records, and it bars public officers from releasing it. The statute applies to officials and records. It does not apply to broadcasters. In Florida Star v. B.J.F. (1989), the Supreme Court held that a newspaper could not be punished for publishing a rape victim's name that it had obtained lawfully from a police report.

That means the restraint is mostly a matter of newsroom ethics, not law. Kelly herself called it an "unofficial policy" of the media.

The Cornell Case Timeline

• Oct. 19, 2024: The alleged assault takes place at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house, according to the civil complaint as described by Time.
• Nov. 8, 2024: Jane Doe reports the incident to the Cornell University Police Department, CBS News reported.
• Initial review: Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten finds "insufficient evidence to support criminal charges." He has said her statement to police described her conduct as "voluntary, conscious, and consensual," according to NBC News.
• 2025: Cornell's Title IX process expels two men and suspends two for at least two semesters. One had already graduated, and two are found not responsible, according to CBS News.
• Sept. 16, 2026: Jane Doe sues the seven men, Cornell and Chi Phi.
• Sept. 28, 2026: The district attorney reopens the criminal investigation.
• Last Thursday: Gov. Kathy Hochul appoints Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.

Mac Donald criticized that handoff on the show, saying James has taken over "with her clear prejudice in advance."

What Happens Next

James' office is now deciding whether to take the case to a grand jury, and the civil suit is moving ahead in court. Kelly said she will be off on Tuesday. She did not say when she will decide about the name, or whether she will say it on air at all.