Governor Appoints Special Prosecutor in Cornell Rape Case

New York's governor just pulled the Cornell rape case away from the local prosecutor, the New York Times reports. Kathy Hochul on Thursday appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into a student's allegation that she was raped at a Cornell fraternity in October 2024. Hochul said James would, if the probe warrants it, present evidence to a grand jury, the AP reports.

Hochul said she no longer trusts Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten to handle the case, citing "new information" about how it was managed. The move follows a Times report based on more than 1,000 pages from Cornell's internal review and a lawsuit by the woman, identified as Jane Doe, who says she was given alcohol and drugs and assaulted by multiple men at the Chi Phi house. Van Houten, under heavy criticism, has defended his earlier decision not to bring charges but recently agreed to reopen the probe. An update from Hochul and James is expected Friday morning, the AP reports.