NY Governor Appoints AG James to Oversee Cornell Rape Investigation

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into a alleged gang rape at Cornell University, citing a loss of faith in the Tompkins County District Attorney's handling of the case.

An executive order signed by Governor Hochul on Thursday initiated the appointment. "New information has raised serious questions about how this case was handled, and I've lost faith in the Tompkins County District Attorney's ability to fairly oversee it," Hochul stated. "The young woman at the center of this case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued."

The decision follows the release of a transcript showing the accuser, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, telling Cornell police she was "100 percent" confident she was assaulted. The accuser described a night of drinking and drug use, leading to memory gaps, but maintained her certainty about the sexual assault at the Chi Phi fraternity house on October 19, 2024.

During the interview with campus police, Doe recounted an initial consensual sexual encounter followed by later non-consensual activity. She stated, "I can say with 100 percent confidence I was raped." She also described telling one man she was uncomfortable and another she was too tired for sex, which she later characterized as coercion due to incapacitation.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten had previously stated his decision not to bring charges against the seven alleged perpetrators was based on a signed statement from Doe. However, upon learning of the transcript, Van Houten told CBS News he had not seen it before and would seek a copy to re-evaluate the case.

Cornell University officials have stated that their police department provided investigation results to the District Attorney's Office and that the university will conduct an independent review of its own handling of the matter. The fraternity and seven students were temporarily suspended following Doe's report on November 8.

Doe filed a civil suit on September 16, alleging she was pressured to consume drugs and alcohol before being sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members. The lawsuit includes claims of derogatory messages being shared on a fraternity Snapchat group, referring to Doe as "free p***y."

Attorneys for two of the defendants have denied the allegations. Jeremy Saland, representing Scott Kretzschmar, stated the incident "did not happen" and that his client "never sexually assaulted or even touched the plaintiff in any way."

Scott Norris, another defendant, denied participating in sexual activity or drug use, though he acknowledged sending a message cited in the complaint. He stated he "thoughtlessly engaged in Snapchat and briefly stopped in the room where misconduct happened but not when it happened."

Doe's attorney has stated that the alleged attack has had severe and lasting psychological consequences, including anxiety, depression, and sleepless nights, leading her to stop attending Cornell. "She is basically stalled, and her life is devoted to dealing with the trauma," her attorney previously told the Daily Mail.