Former prosecutor Jacqueline Kelly to lead reopened Cornell alleged gang rape investigation

A reopened criminal investigation into gang rape allegations at Cornell University will be led by Jacqueline Kelly, a Cornell alumna and partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. The investigation was prompted by a former student’s lawsuit, filed in September, alleging that several men raped her at a fraternity party in October 2024. The reports describe the lawsuit’s filing month and the party’s date as they are stated here, and they do not explain the timeline further.

Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor overseeing the Cornell probe last month. According to one report, James announced the reopened investigation a day after winning election to a third term. The other report says she made the announcement on a Wednesday.

Kelly, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor, previously oversaw high-profile sex crimes cases, including cases against Sean Combs and Peter Nygård. One report says Kelly and a team from her firm and the attorney general’s office will gather evidence, interview witnesses, review records, and analyze the facts and law. The other report says Kelly and her team will carry out the same tasks, including reviewing investigative records.

Two men named as defendants in the lawsuit have asked that James be removed from the investigation. They argue she is biased, and one report says they cite a social media post she made before her appointment that supported the accuser. The reports do not describe the post’s content beyond that. Fair handling of competing claims is central to a process like this (Proverbs 18:17).

A judge has not yet ruled on the request to remove James from the investigation.