James takes Cornell inquiry Police account is disputed

Oct 1

Eric Shawn reports Hochul appointing Attorney General Letitia James special prosecutor in the Cornell Chi Phi alleged sexual-assault case after losing confidence in its handling. James says an active criminal investigation is underway. A recent lawsuit alleges that seven fraternity members assaulted a drugged and intoxicated student in 2024. Shawn reports police interviews shortly afterward and a dispute over what was passed to the DA. Hochul says an unequivocal rape allegation was omitted from the written summary; the prosecutor says he relied on a signed, revised six-page statement describing consensual conduct and now says he was not given the full picture. James's earlier Facebook comments and refusal to answer whether they prejudge the case are included. Defense lawyers deny wrongdoing, and Cornell supports the investigation and independent review of its handling. The allegations and competing accounts remain unresolved.

On October 1, Hochul appoints Attorney General Letitia James special prosecutor to investigate the alleged 2024 Chi Phi assault and prosecute if warranted, displacing the local district attorney. ABC's October 2 investigation says texts, recorded calls and campus witness interviews did not reach the earlier prosecutor; Hochul criticizes a partial police record. Fox reports Van Houten saying he relied on a signed revised statement, now acknowledges not receiving the full picture and will cooperate. James says an active investigation is underway and declines to comment on an earlier Facebook post when asked about prejudgment. Cornell says it conducted a thorough investigation and supports the new inquiry; defense lawyers deny wrongdoing and Doe's lawyer welcomes the appointment. No guilt finding or completed investigation is established. ABC's October 4 follow-up revisits the special-prosecutor appointment through the original six-page-summary dispute. Doe's lawyer says her explicit rape allegation was omitted. ABC reviews a November 2024 memo in which a Cornell investigator says the DA declined further evidence; the DA says Cornell did not share all the materials. Hochul says she wants the truth. These competing handoff explanations remain attributed, and all seven men deny wrongdoing; the follow-up does not redetermine the appointment date or establish guilt. The full October 2 conference preserves Hochul's explanation and James's complete qualifications: facts and law will guide an active criminal inquiry, evidence and witness interviews will be gathered over coming months, and prosecutions will follow only if warranted. Hochul defends James's impartial fact review when a reporter questions her prior Facebook comments; James declines comment on that post. At the end James specifies that her criminal investigation will not currently focus on the district attorney's actions. Hochul says she lacks enough information to call for either the university president or the DA to resign.