1 New York AG Letitia James Appointed Special Prosecutor In Cornell "Gang Rape" Case
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has put Attorney General Letitia James in charge of investigating a woman’s claim that she was gang raped at a Cornell University fraternity house in October 2024. Hochul said new information raised serious questions about how campus police handled the case and why the local district attorney chose not to bring charges. As a result, she said she had lost faith in his ability to oversee the case fairly. James’s office will now lead the investigation and, if the evidence supports it, take the case to a grand jury. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten reopened the investigation this week after new details became public. He said he had relied on a signed police statement rather than the full transcript of the woman’s interview.
2 Christa Pike's Attorneys Say Execution Attempt Was "Cruel" And "Torturous"
Christa Pike is in critical condition and receiving lifesaving care after surviving Tennessee’s attempt to execute her on Wednesday, her lawyers say. The 50-year-old received two doses of the drug pentobarbital but continued breathing and moving, leaving questions about what went wrong and whether she will suffer lasting harm. Her lawyer, Randall Spivey, said workers used at least seven needles in her left arm, including one that appeared bent when removed. He said her right arm turned purple, while her legal team learned of burning and blisters around the injection sites. Medical experts said those signs could mean the drug entered nearby tissue rather than her bloodstream, though the cause has not been confirmed. Gov. Bill Lee has paused her execution while an outside team investigates. This was Tennessee’s second failed execution attempt this year.
3 ICE Memo Lays Out Limits On Vehicle Stops
ICE has issued a memo saying only officers who have completed certain training can lead vehicle stops, while others may assist. Officers must also use government vehicles with lights and sirens, and they cannot chase drivers who refuse to stop or use their cars to force them off the road. Instead, they must record vehicle details for further investigation. The Wednesday memo follows several stops that ended in shootings, though ICE says it simply restates existing rules and does not change how the agency carries out vehicle stops or arrests.