Police in Charlottesville, Virginia have announced their findings that they were unable to verify the rape allegations that were uncovered in the Rolling Story article that was published last year.
As previously reported, the Charlottesville Police Department planned to announce the results of their investigation today. The case involved a woman named Jackie who claimed she was raped at a fraternity house at the University of Virginia in 2012.
However, the article raised some questions about the authenticity of the claims, such as the fact the alleged perpetrator was never interviewed, among other inconsistencies.
According to USA Today, police chief Timothy Longo said they not able to verify that an assault had taken place. It was originally reported in Rolling Stone and The Washington Post had found issues with the story.
Longo also said while the investigation into the claims was “suspended,” it wasn’t closed since there was no proof that a crime did not occur. “It’s a disservice to Jackie and the university to just close this in case more information comes forward.”
The university had suspended fraternal organizations after the piece came out, but once the inconsistencies were found, they were reopened since police had informed officials at the school “that their investigation has not revealed any substantive basis to confirm that the allegations raised in the Rolling Stone article occurred at Phi Kappa Psi.”
Phi Kappa Psi agreed to make changes during their parties, including no longer using kegs and making sure three members of the fraternity stayed sober.
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism received a request from the publisher of Rolling Stone, Jann Wenner, to do their own review of the story in question, which the magazine will publish once they finish their investigation.