Cornell ‘gang rape’ case: Hochul, Letitia James to give update after AG appointed special prosecutor

NEW YORK (W) — Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James are expected to hold a news conference at 9:30 a.m. Friday after James was appointed special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into allegations of a 2024 gang rape at Cornell University.

Hochul issued an executive order Thursday appointing James as special prosecutor, saying newly released information raised serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute the alleged sexual assault.

“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,” Hochul said.

According to The New York Times, the woman at the center of the case told a campus police officer, “I can say with 100 percent I was raped.” That statement was left out of the official report provided to the district attorney’s office as it considered whether to bring a criminal case.

James said her office will also look at how Cornell handled the allegations and whether the university could update its protocols and provide security to students, particularly victims of sexual assault.

The appointment comes after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said he would reopen the investigation into the former student’s allegations.

Late last month, the former student, identified as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and “gang raped” by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell.

Van Houten previously said his office was considering whether to bring criminal charges related to the incident, though he said the allegations in the civil complaint are “dramatically different” from the woman’s statement to police two years ago.

In an interview with News, Van Houten acknowledged that he relied on the Cornell Police investigation and said his office did not “independently investigate” the allegations.

Attorneys for Jane Doe praised Hochul’s decision to appoint a special prosecutor.

“That’s wonderful news. I will tell you this. My intention tomorrow, first thing, was to write a letter requesting that Governor Hochul appoint a special prosecutor because my client and I had zero confidence in this district attorney’s ability to prosecute this case,” an attorney said.

Cornell University also agreed to initiate an independent investigation into how the Ivy League school handled the allegations after Hochul called for an outside review.

Students on campus have also held a public hearing to share concerns over the university’s response to the case.

James said Thursday that she is “ready to lead a process New Yorkers can trust, guided by the facts and the law.”

“Every New Yorker deserves to know that when they report a crime, it will be investigated fully and fairly,” James said. “The Governor has entrusted my office with this investigation, and we do not take that responsibility lightly.”