New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed State Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of gang rape at Cornell University, effectively removing local District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from the case. The move follows growing public scrutiny after the allegations were thrust into the national spotlight by a civil lawsuit filed last month.
The case dates back to 2024, when the alleged victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, claimed she was drugged and raped by seven men at a fraternity house. The individuals are commonly referred to as the “Cornell Seven.” Initially, Tompkins County prosecutors declined to file charges. Van Houten later stated that his office had only reviewed a statement from Doe suggesting the encounter was consensual and that no drugs were involved.
However, the landscape shifted after Doe filed a civil lawsuit against the university in September, alleging Cornell failed to protect her or appropriately punish those responsible. Following this development, Van Houten announced earlier this week that he was reopening the criminal investigation.
In a statement announcing the appointment of the special prosecutor, Governor Hochul expressed a loss of confidence in the local district attorney’s ability to handle the case fairly. “New information has raised serious questions about how this case was handled, and I’ve lost faith in the Tompkins County DA’s ability to fairly oversee it,” Hochul said. She emphasized that the victim deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued.
Van Houten has defended his office’s initial decision, arguing they lacked sufficient evidence to meet legal thresholds at the time. He also claimed that much of the information released publicly in recent weeks had not been shared with his office. The BBC has contacted Van Houten’s office for further comment.
According to Cornell University, its internal investigation uncovered evidence, including a Snapchat group chat, in which fraternity members discussed a “free” sexual encounter with Doe on the night of the alleged assault. Thomas Giuffra, the lawyer representing Doe, accused the district attorney’s office of repeatedly changing its narrative amid media coverage.
Attorney General James confirmed on social media platform X that she is ready to lead a process guided by facts and the law. She noted that her office does not take the responsibility lightly and stated that if warranted, they will prosecute any offenses found and present evidence to a grand jury. Hochul and James are scheduled to provide an update on the investigation on Friday morning local time.
Skeptical about the timing. Looks like political pressure forced Hochul’s hand rather than new legal facts emerging.
I hope AG James moves swiftly. The Snapchat evidence sounds damning if it’s real. Justice must be served.
Interesting that the civil lawsuit triggered this. Does this mean the criminal threshold is higher than the civil one?
Finally, some accountability. The local DA’s initial dismissal was deeply troubling and needed an outside look.