NY Attorney General Letitia James appoints a prosecutor who worked on the Diddy case to lead the Cornell SA investigation
Jacqueline Kelly is a Cornell alum.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has appointed a former prosecutor to lead the criminal investigation into sexual assault allegations at Cornell University. According to The Guardian, Jacqueline Kelly, who previously served as a federal prosecutor and played a role in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case, is now heading the inquiry into the 2024 incident.
This move follows a decision by Governor Kathy Hochul to name James as special prosecutor for the case. The governor acted after expressing that she had lost faith in the ability of the Tompkins County District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, to handle the matter appropriately.
Kelly is a Cornell alum and was the first chief of the civil rights unit in the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. She currently serves as a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner, a firm that has represented women who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse.
Jacqueline Kelly has worked on a number of significant criminal cases
According to NBC News, Kelly notably handled the indictment against octogenarian fashion designer from Canada Peter Nygard and the case against pain management doctor Ricardo Cruciani, who faced charges involving sexual abuse. During her time in the U.S. attorney’s office, she oversaw the prosecution that resulted in a conviction for disgraced music mogul Sean Combs on charges related to transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
The Cornell investigation centers on allegations filed by a former student, known as Jane Doe, who claimed that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted her over a period of seven hours in October 2024. The incident reportedly began as a consensual threesome at the fraternity house before escalating.
Jane Doe reported what happened to campus police and university officials in November 2024. Records indicate that police interviewed various witnesses, yet District Attorney Matthew Van Houten declined to bring charges. He stated that the six-page statement provided by the accuser did not describe a potential crime. Critics have pointed out that his team did not review additional statements from the complainant or others involved.
Following the lack of criminal charges, the student filed a civil lawsuit earlier this fall. This led to public backlash directed at both the university and law enforcement. Governor Hochul stated that those responsible for protecting the student, including the police, had failed her. Attorney General James expressed her commitment to the process, noting that her office is focused on a thorough investigation guided only by the facts, the evidence, and the law.
Kelly was grateful for the opportunity to lead the inquiry
Kelly stated, “All New Yorkers deserve a fair and thorough inquiry into the facts of this case. 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.” Thomas Giuffra, an attorney for Jane Doe, said that they applaud the decision to appoint Kelly. He noted that they expect her to examine the different roles of the involved parties and consider all available charges under the law.
The appointment of Kelly has drawn mixed reactions from the defense teams representing the accused fraternity members. Some lawyers have sought to remove James as the special prosecutor, alleging that she showed bias in a post she shared on X. In that post, James wrote: “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.”
The criticism against James continues
Andrew Miltenberg, who represents defendant Gillio Lopes, stated that while he welcomes Kelly’s appointment, he maintains concerns about James’ ongoing role. He argued that changing the manager of the investigation does not resolve his concerns if James retains the power to override critical prosecutorial decisions.
Jeremy Saland, an attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar, also noted that while the appointment is a step in the right direction, he remains critical of the initial public statements made by James. He claimed that those remarks pre-judged guilt before evidence was examined.
Judge James R. Farrell recently considered a request to remove James from the case at a hearing in Sullivan County. He deferred his decision, noting that he would need all of the accused men from Cornell to join the request before he could rule on the matter.
The judge stated, “It’s not a one-defendant case,” adding, “It’s a potential for seven. You can’t have seven different proceedings.” Kelly is expected to bring a team from her law firm to assist in the review of the evidence.
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