Ithaca, NY — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has removed the Tompkins County district attorney from the investigation into an alleged 2024 gang rape at Cornell University, appointing Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor after saying she had lost confidence in the local handling of the case.
The case involves a former Cornell student identified as Jane Doe, who alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024. No criminal charges were initially filed, although the woman later brought a civil lawsuit detailing allegations that prompted renewed scrutiny.
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced this week that he would reopen the investigation, but Hochul said newly released information raised serious questions about both Cornell police and his office’s earlier decision not to prosecute.
James will now oversee the investigation independently and can present evidence to a grand jury if she determines charges are warranted. She said her office would follow the facts and law and conduct a process New Yorkers can trust.
Cornell has also retained outside attorneys to review how the university handled the allegations. Attorneys representing some of the accused men have denied wrongdoing.
The appointment effectively shifts control of one of New York’s highest-profile campus sexual-assault investigations from local prosecutors to the state attorney general.
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