Letitia James opens civil review of Cornell sexual assault handling
After a former student accused seven Cornell students of gang rape at the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024, New York Attorney General Letitia James has started a civil review into how Cornell handles sexual assault cases.
The goal is to see if the university's protocols protect victims and to push for better safety measures, though her office can only act on civil, not criminal, matters.
Cornell case prompts criminal probe
A now-former student at the Ivy League school, in her lawsuit, claimed Cornell expelled just two of the accused students while local authorities have now reopened their own criminal investigation.
The case has fueled national debate about how universities handle sexual misconduct, with leaders like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez railing against Cornell and other "elite institutions" for protecting a "culture of rape, sexual assault, and pedophilia."