New York Special Prosecutor Appointed Following Cornell Fraternal Investigation
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order appointing Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to examine an alleged 2024 gang rape at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity house. The decision follows a confidential investigative report and text messages detailing the incident, raising questions about the initial Cornell Police Department inquiry and the Tompkins County District Attorney’s choice not to prosecute.
What You Need to Know About the Investigation
- Special Prosecutor: New York Attorney General Letitia James was appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul via executive order to handle the case.
- Confidential Report: A lengthy Cornell investigative report reviewed by ABC News details text exchanges, photos, and physical evidence from the fraternity house.
- Disputed Timeline: Text messages show the accuser initially downplaying the events before stating nearly two weeks later that 90% of what happened was nonconsensual.
Text Messages Document Contradictory Statements From Accuser
According to text message records reviewed by ABC News, one of the fraternity brothers involved sent a message to Jane Doe days after the alleged assault stating, “I just wanted to apologize for how things went down the other night.”
Jane Doe initially responded, “At the end of the day non [sic] of the sexual stuff was illegal and honestly I really liked being with u.”
Nearly two weeks later, however, the text exchange shows a shift in her perspective. “Let’s be clear that 90% of what happened that night was not consensual,” Jane Doe wrote, adding, “All i remember after that was you giving me ket[amine].” She stated that the experience made her feel “like a sex doll/worker.”
Days after those messages were exchanged, Jane Doe contacted campus police. According to authorities, her initial report recorded that a female undergraduate student stated she was recently raped by 8 to 10 men at the Chi Phi fraternity house.
Snapchat Chat Logs and Fraternity House Evidence
ABC News obtained an extended version of a Snapchat group chat shared among more than 50 fraternity brothers during the alleged assault. The chat logs show the member who invited Jane Doe sending a photo appearing to show her in the bedroom. When another participant asked, “Are you guys at least naked??” the inviter replied, “Boys come whip it out.”
Newly obtained videos from Cornell’s internal probe show the bedroom where the assault was alleged to have taken place. The room was left cluttered with garbage, leftover food, and discarded furniture after Cornell University suspended the local Chi Phi chapter. Evidence visible on the floor included a sorority class composite photo, a fentanyl test, beer cans, and liquor bottles.
Governor Hochul Intervenes Amid Questions Over Local Response
On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul addressed the case publicly, explaining the decision to bypass local authorities. “Newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation conducted by the Cornell Police Department and the decision by the Tompkins County District Attorney not to prosecute an alleged sexual assault on Cornell University’s campus,” Hochul said in a statement.
The appointment of Attorney General Letitia James places the handling of the case under state oversight as inquiries into the 2024 incident continue.
