<p>Governor Kathy Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor for the reopened gang rape case at Cornell University on Thursday.</p>
<p>The appointment follows Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten's revival of the case based on new evidence provided by the alleged victim. Hochul expressed concerns about Van Houten's ability to handle the investigation.</p>
<p>“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 stated in a press release. “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.”</p>
<p>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.”</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Hochul called for a third-party investigation into Cornell's internal handling of the case involving seven fraternity members accused of raping Jane Doe in 2024. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff agreed to the independent investigation.</p>
<p>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 years old. According to the lawsuit, she had been drinking before arriving at the fraternity house and alleges that fraternity members pressured her into taking a substance they described as ketamine and sexually assaulted her while she was incapacitated.</p>
<p>During the alleged assault, one fraternity member reportedly sent a Snapchat message encouraging others to join in. Doe claimed that the defendants snorted ketamine off her body and forced her to do the same.</p>
<p>After reporting the incident to Cornell police in November 2024, the Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus, but no criminal charges were filed. The seven fraternity members involved were expelled or suspended, although some were allowed to continue their education at the university following a lengthy Title IX investigation. The university denied that the only punishment for the seven fraternity brothers, referred to as the “Cornell 7,” was essay writing.</p>
<p>In light of the public's renewed interest in the case, Hochul entrusted the investigation to Attorney General James, who stated that she is taking the responsibility seriously.</p>
<p>“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.”</p>