N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James Appointed Special Prosecutor in Cornell Rape Case

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been appointed as special prosecutor in the high-profile alleged rape case at Cornell University, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday via an executive order.

The appointment follows growing scrutiny of the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney’s office to decline criminal prosecution in the October 2024 incident.

“Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell University’s campus in October 2024,” Hochul stated. She added that these developments have undermined confidence in the local DA’s ability to handle the case fairly at this time.

Under the executive order, James will lead a comprehensive investigation into the matter. If warranted, her office will prosecute any offenses and present evidence to a grand jury. Hochul emphasized that the move is intended to ensure the case is handled without conflict or bias.

“Every New Yorker deserves to know that when they report a crime, it will be investigated fully and fairly,” James said in a statement. “The Governor has entrusted my office with this investigation, and we do not take that responsibility lightly.”

The case stems from allegations by a former Cornell student who claims she was drugged and assaulted by multiple men at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. Following an internal university investigation, two accused fraternity members were expelled, while others faced lesser sanctions such as suspensions, workshops, or required essays. A university spokesperson clarified that no charged individuals received essays as their sole consequence.

Initially, the Tompkins County DA concluded there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges. However, the office later announced it was reopening the case after the student filed a civil lawsuit against the university and seven men, alleging failure to protect her and prevent the assault.

CBS News New York contacted the Tompkins County DA’s office for comment but had not received a response as of Thursday morning. Attorneys for two of the accused have denied the allegations, as has a lawyer for a third man.

Cornell University issued a statement supporting Hochul’s decision to assign the case to the Attorney General’s Office. This development follows Hochul’s earlier call for outside counsel to review the university’s response to the allegations, a move the school agreed to undertake.