Letitia James appointed special prosecutor in alleged gang-rape at Cornell
New York attorney general brought in by governor after recent questions raised over university’s 2024 investigation
TL;DR
- Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor for an alleged gang-rape at Cornell University.
- The action was taken due to questions surrounding the initial investigation and the district attorney's decision not to prosecute.
- The governor stated the move is to ensure the matter is investigated independently, without conflict or bias.
- A lawsuit was filed in September by a former Cornell student alleging gang-rape in 2024.
- The district attorney initially declined to bring charges but has reopened the investigation based on new information from the lawsuit.
- Cornell University has suspended the Chi Phi fraternity and disciplined some students.
- The university also agreed to bring in outside lawyers to independently investigate its handling of the allegations.