Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Governor Appoints Special Prosecutor in Cornell University Gang Rape Investigation | Crime Alert 10.05.26

Episode Date: October 5, 2026

New York Governor Kathy Hochul appoints Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to oversee a gang rape investigation involving seven Cornell University fraternity members. Disgraced music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has been placed in solitary confinement at a New Jersey federal prison following allegations that he bribed inmates to maintain a luxurious lifestyle behind bars. Gypsy Rose Blanchard is speaking out following the tragic death of her partner Ken Urker, revealing she believes he suffered a fatal overdose amid relentless online harassment. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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announced Thursday, October 1st that she has officially stripped local prosecutors of their authority in a high-profile gang rape investigation at Cornell University, appointing New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor. Governor Hachell signed an executive order directing Attorney General James to oversee the criminal investigation into allegations that a former student was drugged, beaten, and gang raped by seven members of the Kai Pai fraternity inside their campus house in October 24. The victim, identified in legal filings as Jane Doe was 20 years old at the time of the alleged attack. On September 16, 26, Doe filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell University and the seven men, recounting an ordeal where she was pressured into taking ketamine, leaving her

completely incapacitated before she was repeatedly assaulted for hours and struck, causing extensive bodily bruising. More than a thousand pages of interview transcripts reveal that Doe reported the incident in November 24 to campus police and Title IX officials. Although she initially suffered textbook trauma reactions, including denial and shame, telling her roommate she had ingested drugs without immediately labeling the attack as rape, records show she sought treatment at the University Health Services Clinic two days later for a traumatic injury and visited a local hospital emergency room department two weeks later requesting a rape kit.

When Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten declined to file criminal charges in 2024, the case stalled until Doe's civil filing triggered massive public outrage. While Van Houten recently announced plans to reopen the probe, claiming civil allegations differed from her initial statement, Governor Hatchell made it clear that her confidence in local authorities had been completely shattered. When the Tompkins County District Attorney announced that he is reopening the case, he pointed to Jane Doe's statement and said it did not establish that a crime had occurred.

But new reporting raises serious questions about the information his office relied upon when it made that decision. And that's why I believe this case demands a special. special prosecutor who will provide a fresh and thorough review of all the facts, including the information that has recently come to light. Governor Hatchell emphasized that institutional reputation cannot take precedence over justice for sexual assault victims. No institution gets to protect its reputation at the expense of a young person seeking

justice. No 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. Attorneys for three of the accused men continued to publicly deny any criminal wrongdoing. However, a university survey revealed a sharp escalation in campus sexual violence, with 35% of undergraduate women reporting non-consensual sexual contact in 2025, up from 23% in 23. More Crime and Justice News after this.

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Concerned about your gambling or that of someone close to you, visit connectsonterio. Disgraced rap mogul Sean Diddy Combs has been placed in solitary confinement at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey after an explosive report revealed he was using his vast wealth to live a pampered lifestyle behind bars. The 56-year-old music executive, currently serving a 50-month sentence following his July 2025 conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, was placed in disciplinary segregation at the low-security federal facility. Under disciplinary segregation, Combs faces severe restrictions, including property impoundment and complete ban on inmate communication. The move follows revelations that Combs spent thousands of dollars a month bribing fellow inmates. He was allegedly caught using a contraband cell phone to browse Instagram and view explicit photos sent by an ex-girlfriend,

while using a jailbroken tablet to watch movies, including a Netflix docu-series about his own downfall. Sources report inmates cooked customized meals, cleaned his private toilet and shower, did his laundry, provided massages, and supplied him with Remmeron alongside a stash of premium weekend liquor. While the Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on specific disciplinary actions, Combs' spokesperson Judah Engelmayer questioned how internal information was leaked to the media, arguing the celebrity as being unfairly targeted. This marks Combs' second time in solitary confinement following a July 2020. fight with an inmate as sources observe that money remains power behind bars. Meanwhile, Gypsy Rose Blanchard is breaking her silence following the death of her partner, 34-year-old Ken Urker, revealing she believes he died of a drug overdose. Erker was found dead in his bed on Thursday, October 1st, his 34th birthday, at his home in

Raceland, Louisiana. Deputies responded to the residents around 6.15 p.m., where he was pronounced dead as authorities launched an investigation. Blanchard expressed profound grief, describing Urker as her soulmate and a devoted father to their infant daughter, Aurora Raina Urker, born eight months after the couple reconciled in April 2024. Urker and Blanchard first connected while she was incarcerated for the murder of her mother, Didi Blanchard. In an emotional statement, Blanchard attributed Erker's mental anguish to relentless online scrutiny and cyberbullying across platforms like TikTok and Reddit, calling on the public to respect her family's privacy as they grieve. For more crime and justice news, be sure to join us for crime stories with Nancy Grace on Fox 1, YouTube, SiriusXM, and now streaming on 2B. With this

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