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New York governor appoints state attorney general as special prosecutor in Cornell fraternity rape investigation
Overview
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has removed Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from the Cornell University fraternity gang rape investigation and appointed the state attorney general as a special prosecutor. The move follows a civil lawsuit filed by the victim in September alleging she was drugged and raped by seven men at a fraternity house in 2024, which brought renewed national attention and raised questions about how the local authorities handled the case.
Key points
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed the state's attorney general as a special prosecutor to handle the Cornell University fraternity rape investigation.
- The decision removes Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from overseeing the case due to lost faith in his handling of it.
- The case involves a woman who filed a civil lawsuit in September alleging she was drugged and raped by seven men at a fraternity house in 2024.
- District Attorney Van Houten had previously defended not filing charges due to insufficient evidence meeting the legal threshold, though his office recently reopened the case.
- The state attorney general will investigate the allegations, present evidence to a grand jury if warranted, and prosecute any resulting offenses.