Web Desk(National Times)- New York Governor Kathy Hochul vowed on Friday to close a legal loophole allowing offenders in the state to avoid rape charges if their victims were willingly intoxicated, as in the case of an alleged gang rape at Cornell University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There has been an outcry in the United States over a decision by prosecutors not to file charges in the case at the Ivy League college two years ago, prompting the governor to appoint state Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The investigation was reopened on Monday after the alleged victim filed a civil lawsuit, fueling allegations that the elite college failed to properly hold the men accountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The alleged victim said in her lawsuit that in 2024 she was drugged with ketamine, assaulted and raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity, a social club for male students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt should not matter whether they chose to use drugs or alcohol. Voluntary intoxication is not a license for sexual assault or gang rape. Period,\u201d Hochul said on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI support closing this loophole, and will work with the New York State Legislature to accomplish this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several US states, including New York, have provisions in their laws making it harder for prosecutors to bring charges against someone who engaged in sex with a person who voluntarily became intoxicated to the point where they could not meaningfully give or withhold consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shiwali Patel, Senior Director of Education Justice at the National Women\u2019s Law Centre, told AFP \u201cit\u2019s just astounding that this loophole still exists\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt does have a huge impact on college cases because the reality is that a significant majority of campus sexual assaults do involve alcohol and drugs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Under the rug\u2019
Hochul slammed the conduct of the initial investigation into the victim\u2019s claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe sat for hours and told (police) exactly what happened to her. And according to new reports, she could not have been clearer that she was 100 per cent confident that she had been raped,\u201d Hochul said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn what world would the police learn from a victim that she\u2019d been literally gang raped while intoxicated\u2026 in the fraternity house, and not elevate those allegations to the district attorney?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
James, a Democrat who has clashed repeatedly with US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she would \u201creview the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and if warranted, pursue prosecutions\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said this week that he planned to file criminal charges against the seven men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said his office declined to prosecute in 2024 because the victim\u2019s testimony did not establish a lack of consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the allegations, Cornell closed the fraternity and temporarily suspended the students allegedly involved, several of whom were later expelled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cornell\u2019s student body held a campus meeting on Thursday at which emotions ran high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speakers repeatedly attacked the college administrators for their handling of the case that has garnered nationwide attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo public official gets to look the other way when the system breaks down and fails our young people. And as governor, I will not allow anyone to sweep this case under the rug,\u201d Hochul said on Friday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Web Desk(National Times)- New York Governor Kathy Hochul vowed on Friday to close a legal loophole allowing offenders in the state to avoid rape charges if their victims were willingly intoxicated, as in the case of an alleged gang rape at Cornell University. There has been an outcry in the United States over a decision […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n