Cornell probe gets new federal prosecutor

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Wednesday that Jacqueline Kelly will lead the reopened criminal investigation into gang rape allegations at Cornell University. Kelly, a Cornell alumna and partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, will serve as outside counsel for the state. She previously oversaw high-profile sex crimes cases against Sean “Diddy” Combs and Peter Nygård while serving as a federal prosecutor.

The investigation was triggered by a lawsuit filed in September. A former student, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleged that several men raped her at a fraternity party in October 2024. She claimed the men pressured her into using ketamine and marijuana and provided alcohol that left her too intoxicated to consent. She reported the incident to campus police and the university’s Title IX office weeks later.

Kelly and a team of investigators from her firm and the attorney general’s office will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and review investigative records. They will report directly to James, who was appointed as special prosecutor by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Oct. 1. Hochul stated she had lost faith in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who initially declined to bring charges in 2024. James made the announcement one day after securing her third term in office.

James described Kelly as a seasoned prosecutor who has managed cases from investigation through trial. “With her criminal legal expertise, commitment to public service, and judicial experience, I am confident that she will lead a fair and comprehensive investigation,” James said. Kelly, a Columbia Law School graduate, spent nearly a decade in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office. She led the civil rights unit in the criminal division, handling offenses related to voting rights, sex crimes, and hate crimes. She left that role last year to join Boies Schiller Flexner, where she represents victims of sexual assault.

Two men named as defendants in the lawsuit are asking a judge to remove James from the case. They argue she is biased because of a pre-appointment social media post expressing support for the accuser. No ruling has been issued yet. Van Houten said he would restart the investigation following the lawsuit, while a lawyer for the accuser noted the district attorney was preparing to bring the matter to a grand jury within two weeks. James has indicated her office’s investigation will take months.

The case has drawn scrutiny toward how universities and local authorities handle campus sexual assaults. Last month, Cornell hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review the school’s investigation and disciplinary processes. At Boies Schiller Flexner, Kelly focuses on regulatory and criminal investigations. Her firm, co-founded by David Boies, has also represented victims of Jeffrey Epstein and corporate clients including Amazon and Theranos.

James’s office, which focuses on civil litigation and consumer protection, has used outside counsel before. In 2021, she appointed former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon Kim and employment lawyer Anne Clark to investigate sexual harassment allegations against then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. That investigation led to his resignation, though he denied the findings in the final report.