NY governor appoints special prosecutor to oversee investigation of alleged gang rape at Cornell

Oct 02, 2026 - 05:00

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New Yorks governor appointed a special prosecutor Thursday to oversee an investigation into a womans allegations that she was raped at a Cornell University fraternity house, saying she had lost faith in the local district attorneys ability to handle the case.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had signed an executive order appointing the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor.

Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell Universitys campus in October 2024, Hochul said. This has, in turn, undercut my faith, and the publics faith, in the District Attorneys ability to effectively investigate and prosecute the case at this time.

Hochul said the attorney general would oversee the investigation and, if warranted, present evidence to a grand jury.

The young woman at the center of this case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued. This action will ensure that the matter is fully and thoroughly investigated without conflict or bias, and handled independently with the rigor that this matter demands.