New York attorney general takes over Cornell sexual assault case

New York Attorney General Letitia James will take over the investigation of an alleged sexual assault at Cornell University after Gov. Kathy Hochul said new information had shaken her confidence in the local prosecutor’s handling of the case.

Hochul signed an executive order Thursday appointing James as special prosecutor. James will investigate the October 2024 allegations and, if warranted, prosecute offenses and present evidence to a grand jury, the governor said.

“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 said. She said those questions had undercut her faith, and the public’s faith, in the district attorney’s ability to handle the case.

The accuser, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, alleges that multiple men drugged and raped her at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house. She filed a civil lawsuit on Sept. 16 against the university and seven men, alleging Cornell failed to protect her and adequately punish those involved.

The Tompkins County district attorney’s office initially said there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges. It reopened its investigation after the civil complaint was filed, according to the BBC. James now takes over the case from District Attorney Matthew Van Houten.

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

Cornell said it supports James’s appointment. The university has also agreed to an independent review of its response to the allegations. It says its earlier investigation lasted several months, followed applicable federal civil rights law and resulted in sanctions including expulsions and suspensions.

The accuser’s lawyer says two fraternity members were expelled and others received lesser sanctions, including suspensions, workshops or essays. Cornell disputed any suggestion that writing an essay was the sole consequence for a person charged in its disciplinary process. “None of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement,” the university said.

CBS News New York reported that attorneys for two of the accused men denied the allegations. A lawyer for a third man has publicly denied another client’s wrongdoing. The outlet said it had sought comment from the district attorney’s office on James’s appointment but had not received a response.

The case has prompted anger on campus. At a student assembly Thursday, undergraduate Sophia Riley Sim said, “We deserve to know that our institution values our safety more than its reputation.” The BBC reported that students are seeking a written account of Cornell’s response, including what evidence it gathered and when it referred the matter to campus police.

Organizers are advertising an Oct. 5 “Justice for Survivors” protest calling for changes to sexual assault policies and campus police training. More than 1,300 alumni have signed a letter urging “swift and expansive” action, the BBC reported. The Chi Phi chapter closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.