New York Attorney General Letitia James made special prosecutor in Cornell rape investigation

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of a gang rape at Cornell University. This action follows significant controversy regarding the initial 2024 investigation, during which a former student reported being assaulted by multiple men at a fraternity house. Governor Hochul criticized both the campus police and the local district attorney, Matthew Van Houten, for failing to conduct a thorough inquiry and for not elevating the victim's serious allegations. While Van Houten previously claimed that the victim did not allege rape, the victim's attorney maintains that she explicitly stated she was sexually assaulted in her original sworn statement. The case has prompted widespread public backlash, leading Cornell to commit to an independent probe by outside counsel regarding their handling of the matter. Discrepancies have also emerged in the university's public communications, including the quiet removal of a statement claiming all investigatory information was shared with the district attorney. No criminal charges have been filed against the men named in the victim's lawsuit, though Attorney General James has stated that her office is treating this as a new criminal investigation. Students at Cornell have held public hearings to demand institutional accountability in response to the perceived mishandling of the allegations. Governor Hochul is also considering new legislation to strengthen sexual assault laws across the state.