New York attorney general takes over Cornell fraternity rape investigation
publishers 45articles 66first reported 26 Sep, 21:09 UTCdeveloping since 27 Sep · 29 editions
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in an investigation into an alleged 2024 gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house, removing the case from local prosecutors after saying she had lost confidence in their handling of it.
A former Cornell student identified as Jane Doe alleged in a September civil lawsuit that seven men raped her over several hours at the Chi Phi house in Ithaca in October 2024, after she had consumed alcohol and drugs. She reported the incident to Cornell police the following month. Several of the accused men have denied engaging in nonconsensual sex or said they had no sexual contact with her.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to prosecute, saying the available evidence did not support charges. He reopened the investigation after the lawsuit was filed and said he intended to present the case to a grand jury. James will now oversee the investigation and determine whether evidence should be presented to a grand jury.
Hochul said the woman had been “failed” by Cornell police and the county prosecutor. Cornell has denied mishandling the case. The university said it immediately suspended Chi Phi, conducted an investigation involving dozens of interviews and hearings, and expelled or suspended some students, while declining to identify them because of federal privacy law.
President Donald Trump criticized James and said those under her scrutiny would not receive “a fair shake.”
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 60 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 4 with the article's own text
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- This version written
- 60 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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