New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on Oct. 1 to appoint the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, as special prosecutor in an investigation into gang rape allegations at Cornell University, effectively removing the Tompkins County district attorney from the case.

A former Cornell University student filed a complaint on Sept. 16 alleging that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven men at a fraternity house on the Ivy League campus in October 2024.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said last week his office reopened the investigation to seek a grand jury review amid increased scrutiny of how it handled the case after the student, identified as Jane Doe, first reported the alleged incident in 2024.

Hochul said in a post on X that newly released information about the investigation has raised questions about how the case was handled, causing her to lose faith in Van Houten’s ability to oversee it.

“For this reason, I have issued an executive order appointing Attorney General James as special prosecutor in this case,” the governor said in a statement posted on X.

“As special prosecutor, the Attorney General will investigate this incident and, if warranted, prosecute any offenses arising from that investigation and present evidence to a grand jury.”

Hochul said the changes are intended to ensure that the case receives a full and thorough investigation without conflicts or bias.

“The young woman at the center of this case deserves to know that every fact will be examined and justice pursued,” she said.

In response, James said she would lead the investigation in accordance with the facts and the law.

“The governor has entrusted my office with this investigation, and we do not take that responsibility lightly,” she said in a post on X.

Van Houten said in a statement on Oct. 2 that he supports the governor’s decision and his office will fully cooperate with James.

“I support the appointment of Attorney General James and I trust that she will examine the facts and apply the law,” he said in a statement provided to The Epoch Times.

“It has become clear that we were not provided the full picture by the University. The focus has been and should continue to be on the victims.”

Doe’s Sept. 16 lawsuit names as ⁠defendants seven fraternity members, the Chi Phi fraternity, Cornell, a bar, and her own sorority.

Doe alleges in the lawsuit that she was raped by seven named frat members at the Chi Phi fraternity house between the night of Oct. 19 and into the morning of Oct. 20, 2024, after earlier drinking alcohol at a bar and her sorority house.

“When Plaintiff arrived at XI CHAPTER’s fraternity house, Plaintiff was visibly intoxicated as she had consumed about 10 standard drinks within the past 3 hours,” the lawsuit states.

After arriving at the frat house, Doe alleges she was handed a beer and pressured into snorting a substance.

The lawsuit states that Doe was intoxicated and incapable of providing consent during the alleged assault. Doe also alleged in her complaint that one of the frat members invited other fraternity members in a Snapchat group to take part in the alleged attack.

She reported the incident to campus police in November 2024, and the Chi Phi chapter was temporarily suspended for alleged violations of the student code of conduct. The lawsuit said the seven students were also given temporary suspensions and “the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays” to the university.

No criminal charges were filed against the students following the initial report. In a Sept. 28 statement, Van Houten said Doe did not make any claims of being gang-raped or drugged against her will in her initial sworn statement to authorities.

“On the contrary, Jane Doe’s statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual,” he wrote.

Van Houten also said the woman’s attorney did not contact him about her statement or about reconsidering the decision not to prosecute, but he recently reached out to the attorney.

The university said last month that it supports the decision to reopen the investigation. The school said it conducted its own investigation and issued sanctions, including expelling some students and suspending others. It also said the Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.