Friday, October 2, 2026 - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in the investigation into allegations of a 2024 sexual assault at a Cornell University fraternity house.
The decision follows renewed scrutiny of the case after the alleged victim filed a civil lawsuit and new information emerged about the original investigation. Hochul said the developments raised serious questions about how the case was handled by Cornell police and the Tompkins County District Attorney's Office.
The move comes days after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced that his office was reopening the investigation. The civil lawsuit alleges that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted the woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe.
Attorneys for two of the men have denied that their clients participated in a sexual assault. The allegations remain allegations, and the criminal investigation has not established that a crime was committed.
James's office now has authority to investigate the allegations and, if warranted, present evidence to a grand jury. Separately, Cornell has agreed to an independent review of its handling of the allegations.
The developments put the conduct of the original investigation, the university's response and the evidence now emerging under renewed scrutiny as state officials seek to determine what happened and whether criminal charges are appropriate.
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