New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a response, opposing an effort to bar her from acting as special prosecutor in the Cornell University rape investigation over what defendants’ lawyers described as public comments that “made it clear that she has formed an opinion about the case.”
As we previously reported, attorneys for Gillio Lopes, one of the Chi Pi fraternity members who make up the Cornell 7 — the name the public has given the seven students accused of gang-raping a former student at the university in 2024 — filed an Article 78 petition in Albany County Supreme Court, arguing that James should be removed from the case because she has “unequivocally demonstrated a bias and presumption of guilt against the defendants named in the Civil Case.”
According to NBC News, James said in a Thursday court filing that the petition to remove her as special prosecutor relies on claims that “are not justiciable.”
“Petitioner asks this Court to impermissibly void a discretionary action by the Governor,” James wrote, arguing that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed her and only Hochul could remove her.
We reported earlier this month that James’ office launched a review into Cornell University’s response to allegations made by the alleged victim, identified only as Jane Doe, which, according to NBC, her office did at the behest of the governor, who expressed concerns about how university police and the local district attorney’s office handled said allegations.
It’s worth noting that no one in the Cornell 7 has been charged with a criminal offense as of yet, but Lopes’ attorneys’ concern over James’ alleged bias stems largely from a social media post from late September, in which 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.”
According to CBS News, state prosecutors rejected the argument that the post should disqualify James from carrying out a “full, reasoned, and independent investigation.”
Meanwhile, attorneys for another former fraternity member accused of taking part in the alleged rape, Winston Lee, also filed a motion seeking to disqualify James from any future grand jury proceedings related to the case.
SEE ALSO:
Cornell 7 Defendant Petitions To Remove AG Letitia James From Case
Letitia James Launches Probe Into Handling Of Cornell Rape Allegations
