NY governor appoints special counsel in Cornell frat rape investigation
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to investigate a 2024 gang rape allegation at Cornell University. The move follows public outcry and a civil lawsuit that raised concerns about the local district attorney's handling of the case.
Why it matters
This case highlights the intersection of campus safety, institutional accountability, and the use of state-level intervention in local criminal justice proceedings.
Figure caption, Cornell students voice frustration at public hearing over rape case
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed the state's attorney general, Letitia James, as a special prosecutor to investigate the alleged gang rape of a woman at Cornell University.
The woman has alleged she was drugged and raped by several men at a fraternity house in 2024. The case was reopened after the woman filed a civil lawsuit last month that thrust the allegations into the national spotlight.
"New information has raised serious questions about how this case was handled, and I've lost faith in the Tompkins County DA's ability to fairly oversee it," Hochul said.
The announcement means District Attorney Matthew Van Houten is no longer overseeing the case.
The BBC has contacted Van Houten's office for comment.
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10 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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