<p>New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) expressed concern regarding the handling of allegations of a sexual assault at Cornell University. Hochul stated she was disturbed by the actions of Cornell University police and the Tompkins County district attorney’s office.</p>
<p>On Thursday, Hochul announced the appointment of New York Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor for the case, following Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten's decision to reopen the case based on new information from a civil lawsuit filed by the alleged victim.</p>
<p>“I’m deeply disturbed at Cornell University’s police and how they handled this,” Hochul said during a press conference. “They were the first ones to be able to interview and have their questions answered, and yet this young woman told her story.”</p>
<p>Hochul criticized the transmission of a partial investigative record to Van Houten’s office, questioning why prosecutors did not conduct their own interview with the woman.</p>
<p>“Them sending a partial record over is, in my judgment, a failure,” Hochul stated.</p>
<p>Hochul indicated that James’s office would investigate the information available to law enforcement and prosecutors, aiming to clarify what was known and when.</p>
<p>“We don’t know enough, but what is coming out beyond what everyone was told initially … is very contradictory and conflicting,” Hochul said. “And I want the truth.”</p>
<p>The appointment allows James’s office to investigate the allegations, prosecute any offenses deemed warranted, and present evidence to a grand jury.</p>
<p>Hochul also raised concerns about potential gaps in New York’s sexual assault laws, suggesting that the law should not differentiate between voluntary intoxication involving drugs or alcohol when assessing consent.</p>
<p>“If someone is too intoxicated to consent, it should not matter whether they chose to use drugs or alcohol,” Hochul said. “Voluntary intoxication is not a license for sexual assault or gang rape. Period.” She stated her intention to work with state lawmakers to address this issue in the next legislative session.</p>
<p>The case involves a former Cornell student identified as Jane Doe in court filings, who filed a civil lawsuit in September against Cornell, several current or former students, fraternity and sorority organizations, and a local bar, alleging she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.</p>
<p>According to the lawsuit, Doe had been drinking before arriving at the fraternity house and alleged that fraternity members pressured her into consuming ketamine before sexually assaulting her while she was incapacitated. The lawsuit also claimed that fraternity member Johnathan Newell sent a Snapchat message to a group chat referring to “free p****” upstairs.</p>
<p>Doe reported the incident to Cornell police in November 2024. The university subsequently suspended the Chi Phi chapter while conducting a Title IX investigation, which resulted in disciplinary action against students. Cornell stated it provided investigators with information from its internal investigation.</p>
<p>No criminal charges were filed at that time.</p>
<p>Van Houten announced on September 28 that his office would reopen the criminal investigation and planned to present the case to a grand jury. He noted that Doe’s initial sworn statement to police differed significantly from the allegations in her later civil complaint.</p>
<p>When asked whether she would seek to remove Van Houten as district attorney, Hochul replied, “I don’t have enough information at this time. Again, this is very early in the questioning. I’m not going to draw conclusions until I have the full picture.”</p>
<p>James stated that her office would not focus on Van Houten’s conduct as part of the criminal investigation, emphasizing that their investigation would be based on all available facts.</p>