4 Cornell lawsuit defendants join effort to oust Letitia James from criminal investigation

Key Points:

• Four men named in a former Cornell student's lawsuit joined a petition to remove New York Attorney General Letitia James from a reopened criminal investigation into the woman's sexual assault allegations, citing her prior social media posts expressing support for the accuser.
• James appointed Jacqueline Kelly, a former federal prosecutor with experience in sex crimes cases, as outside counsel to lead the investigation, which includes evidence gathering and witness interviews.
• The petition to remove James gained traction after a judge delayed ruling on one defendant's request until other defendants' positions were known; four men joined the effort while two others did not respond.
• The allegations stem from a 2024 fraternity party where the plaintiff claims she was raped and drugged, though not all named men are accused of rape.
• Governor Kathy Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor after losing confidence in the local district attorney, and James defended her empathetic social media posts as appropriate expressions of support for survivors.