Hochul Names Letitia James Special Prosecutor in Cornell Fraternity Rape Case

According to the BBC, the allegation dates to 2024 and returned to national attention after a civil lawsuit filed last month. Hochul said new information raised serious questions about how the case was handled, and that she had lost faith in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten’s ability to oversee it fairly.

The appointment removes Van Houten from the criminal case. James will investigate the incident and, if the facts support it, prosecute any offences and present evidence to a grand jury. Hochul and James were scheduled to give an update on Friday morning local time. James said on X that she stood ready to lead a process guided by the facts and the law, and that her office did not take the assignment lightly.

New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul announces she has signed an executive order appointing Letitia James as special prosecutor in the Cornell 7 case: pic.twitter.com/geNjvPW8UB

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 2, 2026

The allegation

The woman is identified in court papers only as Jane Doe. She alleges she was drugged and raped by several men at a fraternity house in 2024. In a September lawsuit against Cornell, she said seven men assaulted her and that the university failed to protect her or adequately punish them. Coverage has referred to the group as the Cornell Seven. The claims remain allegations. No criminal charges have been filed.

The case was first referred to Van Houten in 2024. He has defended the decision not to charge anyone, saying the evidence did not meet the legal threshold. He has said a statement from Doe at the time implied the encounter was consensual and that she had not been drugged. This week his office said it was reopening the investigation, less than two weeks after the civil suit. He also said much of the information released in recent weeks had not been passed to his office.

Why the governor stepped in

Hochul said the woman at the center of the case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued. Cornell has said it already gave the district attorney material from its own inquiry, including a Snapchat group chat in which fraternity members discussed a “free” sexual encounter with Doe on the night of the alleged assault. Doe’s lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, has accused Van Houten of changing his account as news coverage grew. According to the BBC, the network had contacted his office.

Students have already pressed the university at public hearings over how the allegation was handled. James’s review is now the criminal track. The civil lawsuit against Cornell continues separately.