NY governor names special prosecutor in Cornell fraternity rape case

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in the investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University, removing Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from overseeing the case.

The woman at the centre of the case, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, alleges she was drugged and raped in 2024 by several men — now referred to as the "Cornell Seven" — at a fraternity house. She filed a civil lawsuit against the Ivy League university last month, bringing renewed national attention to the allegations. Less than two weeks later, Van Houten's office announced it was reopening the case.

Hochul said new information had raised serious doubts about how the case had been handled and that she no longer had confidence in the district attorney's ability to oversee it fairly. She said the woman deserved assurance that every fact would be examined in pursuit of justice.

Van Houten has defended his office's original decision not to file charges, saying the evidence available at the time — a statement from Doe suggesting the encounter was consensual — did not meet the legal threshold for prosecution. He said much of the information that has emerged publicly in recent weeks was never shared with his office. Cornell has said it gave investigators evidence from its own inquiry, including a Snapchat group chat in which fraternity members allegedly discussed a "free" sexual encounter with Doe on the night in question. Doe's lawyer has accused Van Houten of repeatedly shifting his account as media coverage intensified.

Attorney General James said her office would pursue the case guided strictly by facts and law, and would bring evidence before a grand jury if warranted. Hochul and James were due to give a further update on the investigation.