Hochul appoints Letitia James as special prosecutor in Cornell sexual assault case

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Thursday evening she has appointed state Attorney General Letitia James (D) as special prosecutor to investigate a former Cornell University student’s allegations that she was raped at a fraternity house near the Ivy League’s campus in October 2024.

The governor said in a statement shared on social media that “newly released information” prompts “serious questions” about the initial investigation into this case led by the Cornell Police Department and the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office.

“For this reason, I have issued an executive order appointing Attorney General James as special prosecutor in this case,” Hochul said. “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.

James responded to the governor’s announcement, saying in a statement that her office does not take the responsibility of this investigation “lightly.”

“As our state’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, I stand ready to lead a process guided by the facts and the law,” she added.

In a new lawsuit filed last month, the woman, identified as Jane Doe, said she was drugged and then raped over several hours by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. She originally reported the incident to Cornell’s police department several weeks after the incident, but no criminal charges were filed.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said charges were not filed because a six-page report provided by campus police to his office at the time did not include allegations that the woman was “drugged against her will or gang raped.”

The woman’s attorneys have disputed this account and accused the initial investigation into this case of being inadequate.

“The young woman at the center of this case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued,” Hochul said in her Thursday statement. “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.”