Amid a renewed investigation concerning seven men accused of sexually assaulting a woman at Cornell University, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has faced backlash for appearing in a Netflix documentary related to the case and commenting on the allegations. None of the seven men face criminal charges.
In October, Hochul signed an executive order appointing New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to look into the matter. In the documentary “Instadocs: Jane Doe v. Cornell,” Hochul appears approximately 13 minutes into the film, sharing her reaction to the case’s developments. She comments, “My first reaction was how disgusting, not again. You feel like, not again.” Hochul also reflects on her experiences as an undergraduate at Syracuse University in the late 1970s, mentioning a series of rapes that created a pervasive sense of anxiety on campus.
There were a series of rapes our first week on campus and there was a sense of anxiety all around.
The fraternity house linked to the current accusations is situated on Cornell’s campus in Ithaca, New York. Hochul criticizes the persistent “culture” that she claims “has never changed.” She notes that the gravity and nature of the allegations would promptly attract the attention of local law enforcement.
The allegations from “Jane Doe” became prominent nationwide after she filed a civil lawsuit against seven Cornell Chi Phi fraternity brothers, the university, her sorority, and others. The lawsuit claims she was drugged and gang-raped inside a fraternity house in 2024. She filed this lawsuit nearly two years after initially reporting her allegations to local authorities. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten stated, “multiple prosecutors and criminal investigators reviewed Jane Doe’s statement and correctly determined the alleged facts as set forth in the statement do not constitute a crime.”
During the Netflix interview, Hochul addressed concerns about how law enforcement managed the allegations:
In a situation like this, you want to make sure that people believe in the process.
Fox News contributor Donna Rotunno, a criminal defense attorney and podcast host, criticized Hochul for her documentary appearance and voiced concerns that her remarks might compromise the perception of the prosecution’s fairness. Rotunno questioned the appropriateness of Hochul’s involvement, suggesting that her concern about the case is “suspect,” and querying why the governor acted to get involved two years into the matter.
When inquired by Fox News Digital regarding her choice to participate in the documentary, a spokesperson for Hochul replied that it is commonplace for governors to engage with news and media outlets on issues of significant public interest.
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