Letitia James appointed special prosecutor in Cornell sexual assault case
publishers 27articles 33first reported 28 Sep, 17:14 UTCdeveloping since 30 Sep · 14 editions
New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in the investigation of an alleged 2024 sexual assault involving Cornell University fraternity members.
Hochul said Friday that she had lost confidence in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten’s handling of the case. She accused campus police and the local prosecutor’s office of failing the woman, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, and said her allegation that she had been raped was omitted from the account Cornell police sent to prosecutors.
The initial investigation was closed without charges in 2024. Van Houten has said the woman’s sworn statement did not include an allegation that she had been drugged without her consent and forced into sex. He reopened the investigation after she filed a lawsuit in September 2026 against seven fraternity members and Cornell. The lawsuit alleges a gang rape; the accusations have drawn national attention and prompted protests.
James said her office would conduct interviews and gather evidence as part of a comprehensive investigation, but she did not provide a timetable for its completion.
Cornell said it supports James’s appointment and is committed to an independent external review of its response. The university said it conducted a comprehensive investigation, barred the Chi Phi fraternity involved in the allegations and imposed disciplinary measures.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 1 with the publisher's own text; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 48 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- 8, 1 with the article's own text
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- This version written
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- Second model (editor)
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