Why is a reopened campus assault case pushing New York to change its rape laws?

In Ithaca, prosecutors announced they will present criminal allegations against seven former Cornell students to a grand jury, two years after declining to bring charges over an alleged fraternity assault.

Under current New York law, voluntary intoxication is not classified as mental incapacitation. Stefan Turkheimer said, It says, if someone is sexually assaulted because they got too high or too drunk, it's their fault.

Across the country, 19 states enforce similar restrictions, making it difficult to prosecute sexual assault when victims consumed alcohol or drugs voluntarily.

Now, lawmakers in New York City are pushing legislation that would allow rape charges whenever an accused person reasonably should have known that a victim was too intoxicated to consent.