Hochul appoints Letitia James as special prosecutor in Cornell gang rape case

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor for the reopened gang rape case at Cornell University on Thursday.The governor made the move days after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten revived the case based on new evidence filed by the alleged sexual assault victim. With her appointment of a special prosecutor, Hochul believes Van Houten is not up to the task.“Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell University’s campus in October 2024,” Hochul said in a statement. “This has, in turn, undercut my faith, and the public’s faith, in the District Attorney’s ability to effectively investigate and prosecute the case at this time.” “For this reason, I have issued an executive order appointing Attorney General James as special prosecutor in this case,” she added. “As special prosecutor, the Attorney General will investigate this incident and, if warranted, prosecute any offenses arising from that investigation and present evidence to a grand jury.”Hochul’s statement is the latest manifestation of her fixation on the case.Earlier this week, the New York governor called for a third-party investigation into Cornell over its internal investigation into the seven fraternity members who allegedly raped Jane Doe in 2024. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff agreed to the independent investigation, according to Hochul.Doe filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell and other parties last month, alleging she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024 when she was 20.Doe had been drinking before arriving at the fraternity house to meet a friend, according to the civil lawsuit. She alleges fraternity members pressured her into taking a substance they described as ketamine and sexually assaulted her while she was incapacitated. During the sexual assault, one of the fraternity members allegedly encouraged more of his brothers to join him by sending a Snapchat message about getting “free p***y” upstairs.Doe alleged the defendants snorted ketamine off her body and forced her to do the same off theirs.After Doe reported the incident to Cornell police in November 2024, the Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus. However, criminal charges were never filed. The seven Chi Phi members in question were expelled or suspended, but some of them were allowed to continue their education at the university following a monthslong Title IX investigation. The university denied that essay writing was the only punishment for the seven fraternity brothers, widely known as the “Cornell Seven.”CORNELL PRESIDENT AGREES TO THIRD-PARTY GANG RAPE INVESTIGATION, HOCHUL SAYSGiven the public’s renewed interest in the case, Hochul entrusted the Democratic state attorney general with the investigation. James said she is taking the responsibility seriously.“The young woman at the center of this case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued,” Hochul said. “This action will ensure that the matter is fully and thoroughly investigated without conflict or bias, and handled independently with the rigor that this matter demands.”