New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate an alleged gang-rape at a Cornell University fraternity house in 2024. Hochul stated she has lost faith in the local district attorney’s ability to handle the case and aims to ensure the matter is investigated thoroughly, without conflict or bias, and with the rigor the situation demands.
The victim, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, filed a lawsuit in September regarding an alleged assault by seven fraternity brothers. In a sworn statement, she described a hourslong incident in which she was plied with drugs, asserting with 100 percent confidence that she was raped.
Governor Hochul expressed that she was deeply disturbed by how the incident was handled, stating the woman was failed by the police and county prosecutors. New reports indicate that Cornell police left out key information, including the victim's sworn statement, when reporting to local law enforcement. Consequently, Cornell University has agreed to hire outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation.
The case has sparked a national conversation about sexual assault on college campuses. In response to the allegations, Governor Hochul has called for closing a loophole in state law that allows offenders to avoid rape charges if their victims were willingly intoxicated, seeking to make such cases easier to prosecute.