New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate allegations that a woman was drugged and raped by several men at a Cornell University fraternity house in 2024. The appointment removes Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from overseeing the reopened case.
The allegations returned to public attention after the woman, identified in reports as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit last month. The suit alleges she was sexually assaulted by multiple men at a fraternity event; one report says she was 20 and alleged seven men were involved. Hochul said new information raised questions about the case's handling and said she had lost faith in Van Houten's ability to oversee it fairly. Van Houten has defended his office's earlier decision not to bring charges, according to the BBC.