A criminal investigation led by New York Attorney General Letitia James is underway into a former Cornell University student’s allegation that seven men drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2024, a case that has prompted protests on campus and raised questions about how state law may affect prosecution. Hundreds of Cornell students rallied in Ithaca on Oct. 5 to protest the university’s response to the alleged assault, which the former student says occurred at a campus fraternity. The allegation has not been adjudicated, and the men have not been identified in the available information. James is leading a new criminal investigation. But New York law could complicate efforts to bring charges, leaving the legal path forward uncertain. The case has become a focus of campus protest and scrutiny of how institutions respond to sexual-assault allegations.