New York Governor Taps Attorney General as Special Prosecutor in Cornell Fraternity Rape Case

Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a Cornell University fraternity, the governor’s office announced. If the investigation warrants, James will prosecute any offenses and present evidence to a grand jury.

James, the state’s chief legal officer, affirmed her readiness to lead an inquiry “guided by the facts and the law.” In a statement posted to X, she emphasized that her office does not take the responsibility lightly. Hochul and James are scheduled to provide a public update on the investigation Friday morning.

The case centers on a civil lawsuit filed in September by a woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe. She alleges she was drugged and raped by seven men at a fraternity house in 2024, a group now referred to as the “Cornell Seven.” The suit contends the university failed to protect her or adequately discipline the accused students.

The matter was initially referred to the local district attorney, Matthew Van Houten, in 2024. Van Houten previously declined to bring charges, stating his office had only seen a statement from Doe implying the encounter was consensual and that she had not been drugged. However, his office announced it would reopen the case earlier this week, less than two weeks after the civil lawsuit was filed.

Cornell University has stated it provided evidence from its own investigation to the district attorney’s office, including a Snapchat group chat in which fraternity members allegedly discussed a “free” sexual encounter with Doe on the night in question. Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, has accused the district attorney of repeatedly shifting his narrative amid mounting media scrutiny of the case.

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