New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James are set to speak publicly about the Cornell University sexual assault investigation on Friday, a day after the governor appointed the attorney general as special prosecutor to the case.
\n\nHochul tapped James, both of whom are Democrats, to take over the case on Thursday, as questions swirl nationwide over how university police and the local district attorney’s office handled the case two years ago.
\n\nA former Cornell University student alleged in a civil lawsuit last month that she was raped, sexually assaulted and plied with drugs by members of Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.
\n\nThe woman, identified as Jane Doe, reported the incident to Cornell police about three weeks after it happened, according to her lawsuit. The matter was investigated by Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who said he found “insufficient evidence to support criminal charges” at the time, according to the suit.
\n\nVan Houten said on Monday he was reopening an investigation into the case, but defended his office’s initial decision not to pursue it. He said Jane Doe’s statement to police in 2024 “described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business