Letitia James Hires Jacqueline Kelly to Lead Cornell Group Rape Investigation

The New York attorney general has selected a former federal prosecutor to take charge of the reopened criminal investigation into a group rape at Cornell University.

Letitia James announced the appointment of Jacqueline Kelly on Wednesday. Kelly will serve as the external special counsel for the office of the attorney general. The role involves overseeing all aspects of the criminal case that has been under review since last month.

The current legal timeline began in September when a former Cornell student filed a civil lawsuit. In the complaint, she alleged that multiple men raped her during a fraternity party in October 2024. She stated that the men pressured her to consume ketamine and marijuana. She also reported drinking alcohol that left her too intoxicated to give consent. A few weeks after the incident, she reported the assault to the campus police and the university's Title IX office.

Governor Kathy Hochul lost confidence in the local handling of the case. In October, she named James as a special prosecutor to supervise the matter. This move came after Matthew Van Houten, the Tompkins County district attorney, initially declined to file charges in 2024. Van Houten later said he would restart the investigation following the lawsuit. A lawyer for the plaintiff claimed Van Houten was preparing to bring the case to a grand jury within two weeks.

James stated that her office's investigation will take several months to complete. She will rely on Kelly and a team of attorneys and investigators from both the law firm and the attorney general's office. They will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and review prior reports. The team will also analyze the facts against applicable laws.

Kelly is a Cornell graduate who attended Columbia Law School. She served as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan for nearly a decade. During that time, she led the civil rights unit in the criminal division. Her work included supervising investigations into sexual offenses, hate crimes, and voting rights violations. She also oversaw the prosecutions of former neurologist Ricardo Cruciani and Bronx music teacher Jesus Concepcion. She left the federal office last year to join the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner.

The firm will remain her employer while she conducts the Cornell investigation. Kelly said she intends to use her years of experience in federal prosecution to serve the office of the attorney general. She expressed hope to examine all available evidence thoroughly. James praised Kelly's track record, noting that she has supervised numerous cases from investigation through trial.

Two men named as defendants in the lawsuit have asked a judge to remove James from the investigation. They argue she is biased because of a social media post she made before her appointment. In that post, she expressed support for the accuser. A judge has not yet ruled on their motion.

Cornell University hired Sally Yates, a former U.S. deputy attorney general, last month. Yates is reviewing how the university investigates sexual assault and harassment. Her review also covers the disciplinary process and the response of campus police. The case has raised questions about how universities and local prosecutors handle sexual violence on campuses.

James's office has previously used outside counsel to support its investigations. In 2021, the office appointed two external lawyers to examine non-criminal allegations of sexual harassment against former Governor Andrew Cuomo. That review led to his resignation, though he rejected the report's conclusions.