In Cornell investigation, Gov. Hochul says special prosecutor Letitia James will find out “how was this woman denied justice”

Updated on: October 2, 2026 / 11:02 AM EDT / CBS New York

Gov. Kathy Hochul has tapped New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in the Cornell University alleged rape case.

Hochul delivered impassioned remarks Friday morning as she discussed her decision. She expressed shock and dismay at the allegations, and grave concern about how authorities handled the case after the woman initially came forward to police.

"According to new reports, she could not have been clearer that she was 100 percent confident that she had been raped. Yet, shockingly, those words never made it into the account that Cornell police sent to prosecutors," Hochul said. "Think about that. In what world would the police learn from a victim that she'd been literally gang raped while she was intoxicated by five men in a fraternity house and not elevate those allegations to the district attorney? In what world does the district attorney not even interview her or anyone else involved or even request the full transcript?"

Hochul said "new reporting raises serious questions about the information [the Tompkins County district attorney's] office relied upon" when it made the initial decision not to prosecute the case.

James "will…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/