Judge to hear arguments on whether AG James remains in Cornell rape case

A New York judge is set to hear arguments on whether Attorney General Letitia James should remain as special prosecutor in a civil case against Cornell University students accused of sexually assaulting a female classmate in 2024.

Judge James Farrell will conduct the hearing at 2 p.m. EDT on Thursday at the Sullivan County courthouse in Monticello, N.Y.

Gillio Lopes, one of the accused, and representatives of Attorney General James will each have 30 minutes to present their cases during the hearing.

Winston Lee, a second accused man, has also asked that James be removed as special prosecutor.

Lopes and Lee have denied the allegations of sexual assault, stating they did not rape the woman who filed a civil suit against them and six other men.

The woman, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, filed the civil suit last month, alleging she was intoxicated and raped by members of the Chi Phi fraternity house over a seven-hour period on Oct. 19, 2024.

Lawyers for the accused claim James has already publicly prejudged the guilt of the seven men, citing her comments when she was assigned the case, which came years after a local prosecutor declined to file charges.

James responded to the situation with a statement on X, saying, 'To her and all other survivors: You’re not alone. We stand with you.' She also described the woman’s experience as 'horrific and unacceptable.'