What we know
What we know: 4 Cornell lawsuit defendants join effort to oust Letitia James from criminal investigation
Compiled Nov 5
What we know
- Four men named in a former Cornell University student's lawsuit are joining a co-defendant's effort to block New York Attorney General Letitia James from leading a reopened criminal investigation
- The effort seeks James' removal because of social media posts she made condemning the alleged assault and expressing support for the accuser, prior to her involvement
- James appointed Jacqueline Kelly, a former federal prosecutor who oversaw sex crimes cases against Sean 'Diddy' Combs, as outside counsel for the investigation
- A judge heard arguments last week on one accused man's request to remove James but withheld ruling pending whether other defendants joined
- A former Cornell student identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit in September alleging several men raped her at a fraternity party in 2024
- Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor on Oct. 1, citing lost faith in the local district attorney
What we don’t know yet
- James' office declined to comment
- Two other men named as defendants did not have lawyers who could speak for them and did not provide a response
Open questions
- Will the judge rule to remove James from the investigation?
- What will happen with the two defendants who have not responded?
- How will Jacqueline Kelly's appointment affect the ongoing removal dispute?
- Will the reopened criminal investigation lead to charges?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.