By Salma El-Sakka
A reopened criminal investigation into gang rape allegations at Cornell University will be led by Jacqueline Kelly, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who oversaw high-profile sex crimes cases against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and fashion executive Peter Nygård. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the appointment Wednesday.
Kelly's Background and Appointment
Kelly, a Cornell alumna and partner at Boies Schiller Flexner, will serve as outside counsel for the investigation. She spent nearly a decade as a prosecutor in the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office, leading the civil rights unit and overseeing prosecutions of sex crimes, hate crimes, and voting rights violations. Her past cases include the prosecution of a neurologist who molested patients, a music teacher who abused students, and members of the Lucchese crime family.
Lawsuit Sparks Investigation
The investigation was spurred by a lawsuit filed in September by a former student, identified as Jane Doe, who alleged that several men raped her at a fraternity party in October 2024 after pressuring her to use ketamine and marijuana. The accuser reported the incident to campus police and the university's Title IX office weeks later. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten had declined to bring charges in 2024, prompting Governor Kathy Hochul to appoint James as special prosecutor on October 1.
Challenges to Attorney General's Role
Two men named as defendants in the lawsuit are seeking to remove James from the investigation, arguing she is biased due to a social media post expressing support for the accuser before her appointment. A judge has not yet ruled on the motion. James said her investigation will take months.
Cornell's Response and Broader Context
Cornell University has hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review its sexual assault investigation policies, disciplinary processes, and campus police response. The case has raised questions about how universities and local prosecutors handle campus sexual assaults. James previously used outside counsel in 2021 to investigate sexual harassment allegations against then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, leading to his resignation.
