N環球 
New York Governor Hochul: Cornell Assault Survivor Was 'Failed at Every Turn' as AG Takes Over Probe
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said October 2 that the woman alleging she was drugged and assaulted by Cornell fraternity members in 2024 was failed at every turn, naming Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to lead the case.
Why it matters
A governor removing a local district attorney and handing a criminal investigation to the state attorney general is extraordinarily rare, a sign the case has drawn national attention. Hochul is also pushing to close a loophole in New York's sexual-assault law, and the outcome could shape how campus assault cases are handled nationwide.
Full report
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that a former student who alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple members of a Cornell University fraternity in 2024 was "failed" at every turn by people and institutions with an obligation to protect her.
Hochul signed an executive order appointing state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to take over the case, saying she had lost faith in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten's handling of it. Reports say the district attorney's office closed the 2024 case without interviewing the accuser, anyone else involved, or requesting the full transcript of her lengthy interview with Cornell police. The woman, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, filed a civil lawsuit last month, prompting the case to reopen. Hochul also criticized Cornell police for not elevating to prosecutors the woman's statement that she was "100% confident" she had been raped.
Hochul said she will push lawmakers to close a gap in New York's sexual-assault law: a victim's voluntary intoxication should not be used to undermine whether they could consent. "Voluntary intoxication is not a license for sexual assault or gang rape. Period," she said. James said the case is "now an active criminal investigation" and that her office would interview witnesses and pursue prosecutions if warranted.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!