NY Governor appoints special prosecutor in Cornell rape case
New York Governor Kathy Hochul assigns the state attorney general to investigate an alleged gang rape at Cornell University, removing the local DA.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul appoints the state attorney general as a special prosecutor.
- A female student alleges she was drugged and raped by seven men at Cornell University in 2024.
- Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten is removed from overseeing the investigation.
- The victim's lawyer accuses the district attorney of repeatedly changing his story amid media coverage.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed the state attorney general as a special prosecutor to lead the investigation into the alleged gang rape of a woman at Cornell University. The case, which dates back to 2024, returned to the national spotlight after the victim filed a civil lawsuit last month.
The governor's announcement officially removes Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from overseeing the ongoing case. The BBC has reached out to Van Houten's office for a statement regarding the transition of authority.
Van Houten previously defended his office's decision not to file criminal charges, arguing that the available evidence did not meet the required legal threshold. However, he moved to reopen the investigation following the civil lawsuit, stating that much of the information recently made public had not been shared with his office initially.
"The young woman at the center of this case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued."
Kathy Hochul
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Governor Hochul stated that the attorney general will prosecute any offenses uncovered during the investigation and present evidence to a grand jury if warranted. New York Attorney General Letitia James added that her office does not take this heavy responsibility lightly. Both officials are scheduled to provide a public update on Friday morning local time.
The victim, identified anonymously as Jane Doe in court filings, filed a civil lawsuit against the Ivy League institution in September. She claimed that she was drugged and raped by seven men at a university fraternity house in 2024, and alleged that Cornell failed to protect her or adequately punish the individuals now known as the Cornell Seven.
This high-profile intervention highlights the intense public and political scrutiny faced by institutional and local judicial bodies when handling sexual assault allegations involving universities. By appointing a state-level special prosecutor, the administration aims to restore public confidence in an impartial review, addressing criticisms often directed at local prosecutors who handle politically sensitive or complex campus cases.
The case was initially referred to District Attorney Van Houten in 2024, who maintained that his office did not press charges because initial statements suggested the encounter might have been consensual without evidence of drugging. Following the civil lawsuit, Van Houten reopened the case, prompting Jane Doe's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, to accuse the prosecutor of repeatedly altering his explanation amid intense media attention. Giuffra also asserted that the university's healthcare system failed the victim in the aftermath.
Source: BBC World
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