New York Attorney General Letitia James has appointed a former federal prosecutor connected to the Sean "Diddy" Combs case to lead a criminal investigation into sexual assault allegations dating to 2024 at Cornell University.
James announced on Wednesday that Jacqueline Kelly, a Cornell graduate, will serve as outside counsel and direct what she described as a "fair and comprehensive criminal investigation." Kelly previously served as chief of the civil rights unit in the US attorney's office for the southern district of New York and will report directly to James's office.
"The Office of the Attorney General is committed to a thorough investigation guided only by the facts, the evidence, and the law," James said. "Jacqueline Kelly is a seasoned prosecutor who has overseen numerous cases from investigation through trial. With her criminal legal expertise, commitment to public service, and judicial experience, I am confident that she will lead a fair and comprehensive investigation."
Kelly said in her own statement: "I thank Attorney General James for entrusting me to lead this investigation with her office. 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."
During her time in the US attorney's office, which lasted through 2021, Kelly supervised several prominent criminal investigations. Those included cases involving Sean "Diddy" Combs, Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, and Dr. Ricardo Cruciani, who faced charges tied to sex trafficking and sexual abuse.
The appointment follows a decision a month earlier by Governor Kathy Hochul to name James as special prosecutor in the case. Hochul said she had "lost faith" in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten's ability to oversee the investigation, pointing in particular to his choice not to prosecute the case in 2024.
Hochul stressed that those responsible for protecting the accuser, known as Jane Doe, including police, had "failed" her. The reopened case centers on the Cornell student's allegations that seven fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted her over a seven-hour period in October 2024.
The absence of any arrests, combined with a civil lawsuit Doe filed earlier this fall, prompted intense public backlash and criticism directed at both the university and law enforcement.
Attorneys representing one of the accused men have moved to remove James as special prosecutor, claiming "prejudice" based on a post she shared on X before her appointment. 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."
At a hearing last Thursday in New York's Sullivan County, Judge James R. Farrell weighed whether James could impartially run the investigation but put off a decision on her removal. He indicated that all of the accused men would need to join the request before he would rule. "It's not a one-defendant case," Farrell said. "It's a potential for seven. You can't have seven different proceedings."
