Cornell Rape Probe Hands Off to Prosecutor Who Led Diddy Case

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Wednesday that a former Manhattan federal prosecutor will lead the reopened criminal investigation into gang rape allegations at Cornell University. The announcement comes as the state seeks to resolve questions about how local authorities handled the 2024 incident.

Jacqueline Kelly, a partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, will serve as outside counsel for the probe. She previously spent nearly a decade in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she oversaw high-profile cases involving Sean Combs and Peter Nygård. Kelly will direct a team of lawyers and investigators in gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing the facts and applicable law.

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

Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor on October 1, citing a loss of faith in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten. Van Houten had declined to bring charges in 2024 but said he would restart the investigation following the lawsuit. A lawyer for the accuser stated that Van Houten was preparing to bring the matter to a grand jury within two weeks. James has indicated her investigation will take months to complete.

Two men named as defendants in the lawsuit are seeking to remove James from the case. They argue she is biased because of a social media post she made before her appointment that expressed support for the accuser. A judge has not yet ruled on their motion. James, who was elected to a third term on Tuesday, made the announcement a day after her victory.

Kelly, a Columbia Law School graduate, led the civil rights unit in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office. Her portfolio included prosecutions for sex crimes, hate crimes, and voting rights violations. She left the office last year to join Boies Schiller Flexner, a firm known for representing victims of sexual assault and high-profile corporate clients. She will remain at the firm while conducting the Cornell investigation.

Cornell University hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates last month to review its handling of sexual assault and harassment complaints. The review includes an examination of the disciplinary process and campus police response. James’s office, which primarily handles civil litigation, has used outside counsel for major investigations in the past, including the 2021 inquiry into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.