Cornell 7 Case – Letitia James Appointed Special Prosecutor, Ensuring Investigation Viewed As Political

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I haven’t commented yet on the so-called ‘Cornell 7’ case in which seven Cornell male frat members are accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually assaulting and/or raping an adult female student in 2024. I haven’t commented so far — despite multiple requests from major media — because the facts are not at all clear, despite a social media and political frenzy presuming the frat members are guilty.

But there is another narrative, one spun by the Ithaca District Attorney who refused to indict in 2024 because of a statement signed by the woman which denied that she was incapacitated much less involuntarily incapacitated such that under state law her seemingly willing participation could be viewed as a crime.  He agreed to reopen the case under enormous pressure, while defending his 2024 decision (bold in original).

Jane Doe’s sworn statement in November of 2024 did not allege that she was drugged against her will or gang raped. On the contrary, Jane Doe’s statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual. My office obviously did not and could not have based our November 2024 decision on the allegations in a civil lawsuit that would not be filed until nearly two years later. Furthermore, I have never been contacted by Jane Doe’s attorneys. Not to inform me the original statement was inaccurate and not to ask me to reconsider our decision. Rather, I reached out to Jane Doe’s attorneys after the lawsuit was filed to understand the discrepancy between the original statement and the lawsuit’s allegations and the proper path forward in light of the lawsuit’s allegations. 

Also, slowly-leaking text and other messages from the woman could portray this as a voluntary sex-party which she later regretted.

Which narrative is right? I don’t know, not enough actual evidence has come out, and what has come out is dribbling out in incomplete and sometimes contradictory bits and pieces. That’s why I haven’t commented.

What I can say to a certainly, based on social media and Democrat politician statements, is that the situation is being exploited by people trying to build social media followings and politicians trying to exploit the situation for political gains.

What’s needed here is a level-headed prosecutor not already overcome with pre-judgment of the facts. I think the local prosecutor could have been that person, but NY Governor Kathy Hochul has other ideas.

Hochul is in an unexpectedly close race in November; she’ll still likely win because it’s NY, but it’s closer than most people expected. So rather than let the normal re-opened prosecutorial function go forward, Hochul has removed the local prosecutor’s office jurisdiction and handed the case to one of the most political prosecutors in the country, NY Attorney General Letitia James.

In a statement announcing the move, Hochul wrote in part:

WHEREAS, article IV, section 3 of the Constitution of the State of New York obliges the Governor to take care that the laws are faithfully executed;

WHEREAS, on September 16, 2026, Jane Doe filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court, New York County, alleging she was the victim of a sexual assault perpetrated by multiple individuals occurring on October 19-20, 2024;

WHEREAS, in November 2024, the Tompkins County District Attorney declined to prosecute any of the alleged perpetrators of the sexual assault, without speaking to Jane Doe, and relied, at least in part, upon information from Jane Doe’s sworn statement to the Cornell University Police Department, which reportedly omitted key portions of Jane Doe’s account, including Jane Doe’s unequivocal assertion that she had been sexually assaulted;

WHEREAS, concerns have been raised, both by Jane Doe and the public, that this incident cannot be fully and thoroughly investigated or prosecuted without conflict or bias, or the public perception of conflict or bias;

But James is not neutral, if that’s what Hochul actually sought. She already has posted on Facebook that she believes the woman’s account. When confronted at the news conference about this, James said she doesn’t comment on Facebook posts. But it’s her post!

Reporter: “Attorney General, on your Facebook page three days ago, you wrote, ‘What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her and to all survivors, you’re not alone. We stand with you.’ Why did you affirm her allegations as fact without doing your own fact-finding investigation? And to the governor, why did you appoint an official who made a public statement affirming those allegations as fact as someone who’s supposed to be doing an investigation?”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D): “I will answer that. I have every confidence in our Attorney General to do what she has always done. Look at the facts, examine the record, and draw the proper conclusions. That’s exactly what’s going to happen in this case. Attorney General, please.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James: “I will not comment on a Facebook post.”

James is being appointed because she will find something — anything — on which to convict the Cornell 7, even if it’s not rape. That’s the approach she took to the Trump family, search as hard as you can until you find something to go after them (she couldn’t find a crime but she found civil charges). You bring James on to the case when you want a conviction, not where you want justice.

If you had any doubt that Hochul is using this case for her campaign, she just said she would propose a law that would make having sex with an intoxicated (not incapacitated) person a potential crime. Pure campaigning.

AOC is also getting in on the act.

So where are we?

We’ll take the same approach we took to other controversial cases — Zimmerman (Trayvon Martin), Darren Wilson (Michael Brown), etc. — follow the evidence wherever it leads.

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