Hostin’s Cornell Case Remarks Draw Criticism as Probe Reopens

Sunny Hostin’s discussion of a civil lawsuit accusing seven Cornell fraternity members of sexual assault has drawn criticism and disagreement from her cohosts, as prosecutors revisit the allegations in a reopened criminal investigation. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten plans to present the case to a grand jury. No criminal charges against the seven men are reported, and the allegations have not been adjudicated. On The View, Hostin, a former prosecutor, focused on why prosecutors did not bring charges after the woman’s initial report in 2024. She said voluntary alcohol or ketamine use does not by itself establish legal incapacity to consent under New York law. Hostin also argued that the woman’s initial statement differed from allegations in a civil lawsuit filed this month, and said her comments concerned the legal standard and evidence available to prosecutors at the time. The lawsuit alleges that members of the Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted the woman in 2024. The woman’s attorney disputes the district attorney’s account that the lawsuit materially differs from what she initially reported.