October 08, 2026
DEVELOPING: Cornell Gang-Rape Case — Accuser Says She Was Misled as Prosecutor Fight Escalates
Headline card by The Night Desk
What happened
The Cornell University gang-rape case took two sharp turns Thursday, October 8, as lawyers for the accuser said she was misled about the criminal investigation — and the defense moved to disqualify the special prosecutor.
The accuser's lawyer says her client was misled about a criminal investigation into the alleged October 2024 gang rape by members of the Chi Phi fraternity — an investigation that, she says, ended almost as soon as it began, with the local district attorney declining to prosecute.
The prosecutor fight
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stripped the Tompkins County District Attorney's office of the case and appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor. The defense is now moving to remove James from the role.
Separately, Cornell University has retained former Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to conduct an independent review of the case.
The background
Seven fraternity brothers were accused of drugging and raping a student in October 2024. Cornell expelled two of the students; others received lesser discipline. The case has drawn national attention and scrutiny of how the university and local prosecutors handled the allegations.
This is a developing story. The Night Desk will update this article as the case moves forward.
Source: PBS / Associated Press
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