New York Attorney General Letitia James appointed former federal prosecutor Jacqueline Kelly on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, to lead a reopened criminal investigation into gang rape allegations at Cornell University, according to Theguardian. Kelly, a Cornell graduate and partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, will serve as outside counsel with decision-making authority over the probe into a former student’s accusations against seven fraternity members.
A High-Profile Prosecutor Appointed After Local Pushback
The appointment follows an executive order issued last month by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who designated James as a special prosecutor after stating she had lost faith in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten. Van Houten had previously declined to bring charges after reviewing a statement from the student, who alleged in a September civil lawsuit that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity plied her with drugs and sexually assaulted her over seven hours in October 2024. In her lawsuit, the student—identified in court papers as Jane Doe—stated that some of the men pressured her into using ketamine and marijuana and that she consumed alcohol that left her too intoxicated to consent.
NEW NY Attorney General Letitia James (@NewYorkStateAG) has appointed JACQUELINE KELLY as outside counsel in the CORNELL SEVEN investigation. She's a partner at New York law firm Boies Schiller Flexner which has represented survivors of Jeffrey Epstein in civil litigation.…
Kelly brings extensive federal experience to the case. A graduate of Columbia University’s law school who spent nearly a decade as a prosecutor in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, she served as the inaugural civil rights unit chief in the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York until 2021. In that role, she oversaw high-profile prosecutions including cases against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, fashion executive Peter Nygård, and Dr. Ricardo Cruciani. Her oversight also included prosecuting sex crimes and handling cases involving members of the Lucchese crime family. At Boies Schiller Flexner, her work focuses on regulatory and criminal investigations while representing victims of sexual assault and other crimes. Her law firm has previously represented survivors of Jeffrey Epstein in civil litigation, including Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
The Office of the Attorney General is committed to a thorough investigation guided only by the facts, the evidence, and the law
Letitia James, New York Attorney General
James stated that Kelly is a seasoned prosecutor who has overseen numerous cases from investigation through trial
and expressed confidence that her criminal legal expertise, commitment to public service, and judicial experience will ensure a fair and comprehensive inquiry. Kelly added that she looks forward to lending her years of experience as a federal prosecutor to examine all available evidence alongside a team of lawyers and investigators from her law firm and the attorney general’s office. According to the attorney general’s office, Kelly faces no deadline to reach a conclusion, noting that while the two-year statute of limitations for misdemeanors has expired, there is no statute of limitations for the most serious sex offenses in New York.
Defense Lawyers Welcome Investigator Appointment Despite Ongoing Concerns
Defense attorneys representing the accused men voiced mixed reactions to the appointment. Andrew Miltenberg, representing defendant Gillio Lopes, said he and his co-counsel welcome Jacqueline Kelly’s appointment and have no objection to her leading the investigative team,
while raising ongoing concerns regarding James’s initial public statements about the case, NBC News reported.
Miltenberg and lawyers for another defendant had asked different state judges to disqualify James from leading the case, arguing that a social media post she made expressing support for the accuser on September 28—stating that What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable
—exhibited pre-judgment and bias. A state judge gave a lawyer until Thursday to get attorneys for the other students to sign on or produce legal arguments regarding whether the challenges should be dismissed on technical grounds, with a ruling remaining pending.
Jeremy Saland, an attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar, criticized the decision to bring in outside counsel. Saland contended in a statement that while Kelly has experience representing and prosecuting sex crime cases, it is surprising that Attorney General James overlooked countless current and former New York Assistant District Attorneys who have dedicated their entire careers to investigating state sex crimes.
Saland further argued that Changing who manages the investigation does not eliminate that concern if James continues to possess the authority to direct or override the critical prosecutorial decisions.
Broader Institutional Measures at Cornell
The campus controversy prompted widespread scrutiny of how university officials and local law enforcement handle reports of sexual assault. In response, Cornell University signed an agreement with the New York State Police, effective immediately, enabling sexual assault survivors who elect to pursue criminal charges to choose whether to have the State Police or Cornell Police conduct the criminal investigation. Cornell Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff stated that the agreement is designed to improve campus safety, restore confidence, and better support survivors. The university also retained former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review how the school investigates sexual assault and sexual harassment, how the disciplinary process works, and the campus police response.
What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you.https://t.co/az4ViQwgy1
🚨 🇺🇸 FORMER DIDDY PROSECUTOR TO LEAD CORNELL UNIVERSITY SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATION New York Attorney General Letitia James has appointed Jacqueline Kelly, a former federal prosecutor involved in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case, to lead the criminal investigation into alleged… pic.twitter.com/RgNOZCiDai
I look forward to lending my years of experience as a federal prosecutor to the Office of the Attorney General as we examine all available evidence.
Jacqueline Kelly, Outside Counsel
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