The New York attorney general, Letitia James, has tapped a former prosecutor involved in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case to head a criminal investigation into 2024 sexual assault allegations at Cornell University.

On Wednesday, James appointed Cornell alum Jacqueline Kelly to serve as outside counsel and lead a “fair and comprehensive criminal investigation”. Kelly, formerly chief of the civil rights unit in the US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York, 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, adding: “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 issued her own statement, saying: “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 Kelly’s tenure in the US attorney’s office through 2021, she oversaw several high-profile criminal investigations including cases involving Sean “Diddy” Combs, the Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard and Dr Ricardo Cruciani, who faced charges related to sex trafficking and sexual abuse.

Kelly’s appointment comes a month after Governor Kathy Hochul named James a special prosecutor in the case, citing that she had “lost faith” in the ability of the Tompkins county district attorney, Matthew Van Houten, to oversee the investigation, particularly after his decision not to prosecute the case in 2024.

Hochul emphasized that those obligated to protect Jane Doe – including the police – had “failed” her. The reopened case centers on allegations by the Cornell student that seven fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted her over seven hours in October 2024.

The lack of any arrests, followed by Doe filing a civil lawsuit earlier this fall, sparked severe public backlash and criticism aimed at the university and law enforcement.

Lawyers for one of the accused men have sought to remove James as special prosecutor, alleging “prejudice” over a post she shared on X before her appointment. In the 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 considered whether James could impartially oversee the investigation. However, he deferred a decision on her removal, indicating that all of the accused men would need to join the request before he would rule on it.

“It’s not a one-defendant case,” Farrell said, adding: “It’s a potential for seven. You can’t have seven different proceedings.”