I am not a lawyer but I am fairly certain that New York State automatically seals criminal cases which are dismissed due to a positive finding for the defendant.
probably diplomatic immunity/coverup. bigger fish to fry, so not worth prosecuting a rapist.
that's pretty messed up.
That’s how I read it too. Having the case sealed seems like an invitation to actually do some investigation. Instead the NYT played along and tried to bury the story (albeit in a technically ignorant way).