NY state attorney general takes over Cornell rape case as law comes under scrutiny

An intense, public outcry over a woman’s account of being gang-raped at a Cornell University fraternity house prompted New York Governor Kathy Hochul this week to angrily yank control of the investigation away from the local prosecutor who didn’t initially see what happened as a crime.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has said Cornell police omitted key information that could have affected his decision whether or not to pursue criminal charges.