New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed a special prosecutor Thursday to oversee an investigation into allegations that a woman was gang raped at a Cornell University fraternity house, citing lost confidence in the local district attorney's handling of the case.
Hochul signed an executive order designating the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to take over the investigation. The case had initially been closed without charges in 2024.
The woman filed a civil lawsuit last month, which brought renewed attention to her allegations. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten reopened the investigation Monday following the lawsuit filing, but faced mounting criticism over his earlier decision to close the case without pursuing charges.
The appointment removes Van Houten from oversight of the investigation, with James's office now responsible for directing the probe going forward.