Jonathan Newell, Broward student accused in Cornell rape lawsuit

Jonathan Newell, a 21-year-old from Davie, Florida, is accused in a lawsuit of raping a female student at a Cornell University fraternity party in 2024, and he later transferred to Nova Southeastern University (NSU), sparking campus protests. Newell is one of seven men accused in the lawsuit, which alleges he pressured the victim into taking ketamine and alcohol before the assault and encouraged others to join via a Snapchat message. He was expelled from Cornell, though NSU’s president says the university was unaware of the accusations at admission. Newell grew up in Davie, attended NSU’s prep school from childhood, and graduated in 2023. Students have organized protests for Oct. 14 and 15, while NSU cites federal privacy laws in limiting what it can disclose about his status.