The Governor of New York has designated a special prosecutor to manage the inquiry into a reported gang rape at Cornell University, expressing a lack of confidence in the local district attorney’s capability to conduct the investigation effectively.
The district attorney for Tompkins County had previously announced the reopening of the case earlier this week following widespread media coverage of the alleged incident.
This situation has sparked discussions about the handling of sexual assault cases on university campuses.
Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed her decision by issuing an executive order that appoints the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor for this case.
In her statement, Governor Hochul highlighted, “Recent revelations have raised significant concerns regarding the investigation by the Cornell Police Department and the Tompkins County District Attorney’s previous choice not to prosecute the alleged sexual assault that took place on Cornell’s campus in October 2024.” She further stated, “This has diminished my trust, as well as the public’s trust, in the District Attorney’s ability to carry out a thorough investigation and prosecution at this moment.”
According to Governor Hochul, the attorney general will lead the investigation and, if necessary, present findings to a grand jury. “The young woman at the heart of this case deserves assurance that every detail will be scrutinized and that justice will be sought,” she remarked. “This measure will guarantee that the investigation is comprehensive, impartial, and conducted with the seriousness that this issue warrants.”
Governor Hochul’s announcement followed a significant gathering where numerous students and local residents demanded greater transparency and accountability from university officials during a forum organized by Cornell’s student government.
In the past week, new details regarding the alleged assault in 2024, the university’s response, and the absence of criminal charges at that time have come to light since the filing of a lawsuit last month.
The situation has stirred unrest within the Ivy League community, raising critical questions about the university’s response to sexual assault allegations and the broader issue of how such incidents are managed on college campuses.
The woman involved, referred to as Jane Doe in legal documents, reported the alleged incident to campus police, engaged with the university’s internal investigators, and is pursuing a lawsuit initiated in September. This lawsuit targets seven fraternity members, the university itself, the Chi Phi fraternity, and others, alleging that one of the accused sent a message via social media to over 50 fraternity members inviting their participation.
Defense attorneys for two of the accused have denied their involvement in any sexual assault, with one claiming that his client did not have any physical contact with the woman. Efforts by The Associated Press to connect with the other accused individuals or their legal representatives have not succeeded.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced the reopening of the investigation earlier this week after assessing new evidence from the woman’s civil lawsuit. He defended his original decision not to press charges, stating that the woman’s initial report to law enforcement did not mention allegations of being drugged, incapacitated, or coerced into sexual acts.
Responding to public and political pressure, including from Governor Hochul, the private university agreed on Wednesday to engage external legal counsel to conduct an independent review of its handling of the woman’s allegations.
