Megan Bonanni Quoted in The Washington Post on Cornell University Sexual Assault Allegations

Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers Partner Megan Bonanni was recently quoted in The Washington Post discussing the civil lawsuit filed by a former Cornell University student who alleges she was sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members in 2024. Megan spoke about the difference between pursuing accountability through a civil lawsuit and relying on prosecutors to bring criminal charges. 

“Jane Doe can report what happened to law enforcement, but she cannot control whether prosecutors bring charges. Oftentimes, they don’t,” Megan said. “Through a civil lawsuit, she has the freedom and the ability to pursue legal claims and seek accountability.” 

The Washington Post examined the civil lawsuit alongside the renewed criminal investigation into the allegations, including questions surrounding the initial decision not to pursue criminal charges. New York Attorney General Letitia James has since been appointed as special prosecutor to oversee the investigation. 

Megan’s perspective comes from decades of experience representing survivors of sexual abuse nationwide, including more than 400 women and girls abused by former Michigan State University physician Larry Nassar, more than 1,000 survivors of abuse by former University of Michigan physician Robert Anderson, as well as survivors of abuse within college athletic programs, fraternities and health care institutions. 

Read the full article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/10/02/what-know-about-cornell-university-rape-allegations/