New York Attorney General Letitia James is launching a “review” of the so-called “Cornell 7″ gang rape case, her office says.
James said she’s initiated a civil review of Cornell University’s protocols, weeks after the case burst into public view when a now-former student at the Ivy League school filed suit claiming she’d been raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024.
“My office has civil jurisdiction, not criminal jurisdiction,” James explained on Spectrum News Wednesday evening.
“At this point in time we are possibly looking at how Cornell handled this situation and whether or not they could update their protocols and provide security to all their students,” James said. “Particularly individuals who are the victims of sexual assault.”
The alleged victim, in her lawsuit, slammed Cornell’s internal Title IX investigation process that involved 12 hearings — and claimed her attackers only got a slap on the wrist, with just two out of the seven expelled.
Cornell has denied those claims, saying it acted in accordance with police and banned the Chi Phi chapter from campus.
Here’s the latest on the ‘Cornell 7’ frat probe:
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten separately has said his office reopened a criminal investigation into the alleged rape.
James’ remarks came as other pols, like Gov. Kathy Hochul have called for similar investigations and reviews into the sickening case, which has garnered furious national uproar in recent weeks.
During a campaign event in Ithaca, home to Cornell, on Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez railed against the university and other “elite institutions” for protecting a “culture of rape, sexual assault, and pedophilia.”
