New York Governor Kathy Hochul doubled down on her criticisms of the 'Cornell 7' after she was accused of prejudging the case.
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she → double → case
The Democrat governor claimed that the woman, identified only as Jane Doe, was 'failed at every turn' after she filed a civil lawsuit claiming she was coerced into taking drugs and sexually assaulted by members of the Chi Phi fraternity at an off-campus house in 2024.
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she → claim → 2024
At the time, prosecutors determined there was 'insufficient evidence' to bring criminal sexual assault charges, but the case has since been reopened, and Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.
The seven men, Umar Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, have denied the allegations against them.
Lopes and Lee have formally asked the court to remove James from the case, claiming her and Hochul's public statements show bias.
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statements → determine → bias
During New York's gubernatorial debate on Tuesday, Hochul was asked to address claims that her statements could jeopardize an impartial investigation.
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statements → ask → investigation
'I'm not prosecuting this case.
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I → prosecute → case
It seemed very clear that the boys in the fraternity are trying to cover up what they had done.
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they → seem → what
A lot of acknowledgments, a lot of texts that are coming up,' she said.
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she → come → texts
'So I said this.
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I → say → this
I want there to be an independent investigation.
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I → want → ?
But also became clear to me that the district attorney had already denied the opportunity to interview this young woman.
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attorney → become → woman
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Kathy Hochul was confronted about her statements on the Cornell gang rape case during the New York gubernatorial debate
The Democratic governor previously claimed that Jane Doe was 'failed at every turn' after she filed a civil lawsuit claiming she was coerced into taking drugs and sexually assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity at an off-campus house in 2024
Hochul continued: 'I come from a family of prosecutors.
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I → confront → prosecutors
You should know enough to interview a victim of a crime and not just dismiss it.
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You → know → it
That's why the law says the governor shall appoint the attorney general in cases of special prosecutions.
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governor → say → prosecutions
The attorney general can speak for herself on the tweet.'
Days before Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor in the case, she had posted on X, writing: 'What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable.
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forced → speak → What
I'm holding her in my heart and in my prayers.'
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I → hold → prayers
Later in the debate, Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman called out Hochul for not launching an investigation when prosecutors first dropped the case two years ago.
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prosecutors → call → case
'As a trustee and as governor, you didn't call for an independent investigation when you found out that the district attorney was dropping the case.
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attorney → call → case
Shame on you,' Blakeman said.
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Blakeman → say → you
Hochul responded: 'I did.
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I → respond → ?
You know, that's pretty pathetic to blame me for what happened in a fraternity.
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what → know → fraternity
'No, I'm blaming you for the investigation afterward,' Blakeman said.
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Blakeman → blame → investigation
In Doe's lawsuit, she alleges that Ingalls invited her over to the fraternity house on October 19, 2024, after a night of drinking in Ithaca.
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Ingalls → allege → Ithaca
She claimed she was pressured to take ketamine and given marijuana and high-proof alcohol before being repeatedly sexually assaulted as additional fraternity members entered the room.
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members → claim → room
Although prosecutors initially declined to charged the men, Cornell expelled two of the accused frat brothers, Jonathan Newell and Matthew Ingalls
The lawsuit claims that during the assault, Newell posted to a 'Chi Phi Actives' Snapchat group that there was 'free p***y' upstairs, referring to Doe
Doe's lawsuit sparked national outrage over the handling of the case, and Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor
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Hochul → decline → prosecutor
The complaint alleges seven men eventually participated and that Doe became 'completely incapacitated.'
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Doe → allege → ?
It also claims that during the assault, Newell posted to a 'Chi Phi Actives' Snapchat group that there was 'free p***y' upstairs, referring to Doe.
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Newell → claim → Doe
Since the bombshell lawsuit was filed in September, dozens of texts between Doe and the fraternity brothers have emerged, shedding new light on the days, weeks and months that followed the alleged incident.
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that → file → incident
On September 29, Hochul released a statement addressing the lawsuit's allegations.
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Hochul → release → allegations
For any student to come forward after an experience like this takes extraordinary courage.
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come → come → courage
No student should ever be left wondering whether the institutions meant to protect them will listen and act,' she said.
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she → leave → them
I support the district attorney’s decision to reopen the criminal investigation.
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I → support → investigation
That is why I am calling for outside counsel to conduct a transparent, independent review of the university’s response to determine whether Cornell met every obligation to protect its students and pursue justice.
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Cornell → call → justice
Days later, on October 2, Hochul appointed the special prosecutor and held a press conference with James to discuss the investigation.
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Hochul → appoint → investigation
'In what world does the district attorney not even interview her, or anyone else involved, or even request the full transcript?' Hochul said.
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Hochul → interview → transcript
'This woman, this young woman, had already endured something that is utterly unspeakable.
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that → endure → something
And then at every turn, she was failed by people and institutions with an obligation to protect her.'
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she → fail → her
The governor continued: 'After this young woman came forward, she spoke to the police.
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she → continue → police
She sat for hours and told them exactly what happened to her.
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what → sit → her
And according to new reports, she could not have been clearer that she was 100 percent confident that she had been raped.
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she → accord → reports
'Yet, shockingly, those words never made it into the account that the Cornell police sent to prosecutors.'
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police → make → prosecutors
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