DA did not review witness statements and other evidence Cornell police collected in alleged gang rape of student
Letitia James will review whether charges are warranted after critics said investigators ignored witness interviews and Snapchat evidence in the case.
- On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to review whether charges are appropriate in the Cornell sexual assault case, questioning why the district attorney never interviewed the victim.
- Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten declined to pursue charges two years ago based solely on Jane Doe's initial six-page statement, despite campus police gathering witness interviews and anonymous tips he did not review.
- Documents show Van Houten's office concluded on November 25, 2024, that charges would not be pursued; police later obtained 1,665 pieces of Snapchat data but found only 3 messages related to the incident, none showing criminal conduct.
- Jane Doe remained unaware of the decision until January 21, 2025—nearly two months later—while attorney Thomas Giuffra said his client 'believed they were still investigating' during that window, learning of the delay from NBC News.
- Van Houten defended his decision Friday, arguing 'there was nothing to review' because fraternity members declined to speak on counsel's advice, though he agreed to reopen the inquiry before the special prosecutor was assigned.
11 Articles
11 Articles
In the investigation into the possible gang rape at Cornell University, employees of the local prosecutor's office refused two years ago to examine additional evidence provided to them by the university's police department. This is reported by the American newspaper The New York Times.
D.A. Overseeing Cornell Gang Rape Investigation Declined to Review More Evidence
The D.A. who oversaw the alleged Cornell gang rape case denied the chance to review additional evidence during the initial investigation ... according to a new report. Tompkins District Attorney Matt Van Houten has been adamant that campus police…
DA did not review witness statements and other evidence Cornell police collected in alleged gang rape of student
Cornell University police spoke to witnesses and received tips about an alleged gang rape at a frat house, but the district attorney did not review the information before deciding not to bring charges.
Het Laatste Nieuws
Prosecutors have not considered additional evidence in the Cornell University gang rape case, The New York Times reports. According to the newspaper, this decision has not been reported previously.
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