New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed a new special prosecutor to investigate allegations of sexual assault at Cornell University. This decision follows widespread public outrage and a civil lawsuit filed last month by a former student, identified as Jane Doe in court documents.
The former student alleges she was gang-raped by a group of fraternity brothers in mid-October 2024. She claims she became incapacitated by drugs and alcohol at a fraternity house, where she was assaulted over seven hours. The lawsuit accuses seven men of involvement.
Jane Doe also alleges that Cornell University's internal investigation was too lenient. While two men were expelled, five received lighter punishments, and some still attend the university. All seven men denied wrongdoing during Cornell's investigation. The university has defended its handling of the incident, stating it closed the fraternity chapter and barred the group from campus. Cornell has also agreed to hire external, independent lawyers to investigate its handling of the allegations.
The Tompkins county district attorney, Matthew Van Houten, previously stated he did not pursue the case two years ago, citing the woman's initial account to police. He later clarified he had not read her full interview, which included a statement of being raped, but only a shorter version.