Governor rebukes DA’s handling of Cornell sex assault case as records reportedly show prosecutor declined more evidence, tell me about this news today

New York Governor Kathy Hochul publicly rebuked Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten and campus authorities over the handling of an alleged gang rape at Cornell University, citing deep failures in how the investigation was originally conducted.

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Background of the Case

The case stems from allegations by a female student (identified as “Jane Doe”) who reported that she was drugged, incapacitated, and sexually assaulted by up to seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity house during an October 2024 gathering. The criminal investigation was closed without charges shortly thereafter. The matter resurfaced with widespread national attention following a civil lawsuit filed by the victim against the fraternity members and Cornell University.

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The Reported Records and Evidence Refusal

Reporting based on investigative records, including details uncovered by The New York Times, revealed that the Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office explicitly declined to review additional investigative materials gathered by Cornell University campus police beyond an initial, narrowly framed six-page statement signed by the accuser.

The DA closed the file in late 2024 without conducting direct interviews with the accuser or the men involved in the room. Furthermore, reports revealed that campus police had left out key portions of the woman’s full testimonyincluding her explicit declarations that she was drugged and completely confident she had been rapedfrom the primary narrative packet sent to the DA. The DA relied strictly on the condensed summary and declined further follow-up or witness interviews before closing the case.

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The Governor’s Actions and State Intervention

• Public Condemnation: Governor Hochul stated that she was “deeply disturbed” and that the victim was failed by the institutions obligated to protect her, remarking that no one should be allowed to sweep the matter under the rug.

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• Removal of the DA: Governor Hochul intervened by stripping the Tompkins County DA of authority over the case and directing New York State Attorney General Letitia James to take over as special prosecutor and run a full criminal probe.

• External Review of Cornell: Hochul called for outside, independent counsel to review Cornell University’s internal handling of the assault reports and its disciplinary proceedings.

• Call for Legal Reforms: Hochul also highlighted that New York needs to close a loophole in its sexual assault laws regarding incapacity, specifically addressing statutory definitions that have complicated prosecutions when voluntary intoxication is involved.

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