Cornell rape inquiry prosecutor faces recusal calls over past conduct

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 23:20 · Archive

New York Attorney General Letitia James, appointed to investigate an alleged gang rape at Cornell University, faces calls to recuse herself.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house in October 2024. Hochul said she had lost faith in the local district attorney's handling of the case.

James is now facing calls to recuse herself from the investigation. An attorney for one of the defendants pointed to social media posts James made days before her appointment. On 28 September, James posted: 'What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I'm holding her in my heart and in my prayers.' The posts appeared to take the alleged victim's side before the investigation was assigned to her.

James's appointment has prompted renewed attention to her previous handling of sexual misconduct allegations. A 2022 lawsuit filed by her former deputy press secretary alleged that James ignored warnings about sexual misconduct by her former chief of staff and allowed him to resign quietly while allegedly keeping his accuser in the dark. A New York judge dismissed the claims against James personally in February 2025, and an appellate court upheld the decision in May 2026.

Cornell rape inquiry prosecutor faces recusal calls over past conduct — Image: Independent World

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How it is being reported

Trump rails against ‘disgusting’ nemesis Letitia James handling Cornell rape investigationDonald Trump on Tuesday demanded that New York Attorney General Letitia James be removed from an investigation into an alleged rape at Cornell University, calling the state’s top prosecutor a “disgusting cop” with “zero credibility.”Independent World · 13 Oct, 22:56
Letitia James’ ‘fair’ Cornell rape probe vow collides with accused aide’s ‘quiet’ exitNew York Attorney General Letitia James faces recusal demands in the Cornell 7 case after publicly expressing support for Jane Doe before the probe.Fox News · 13 Oct, 17:51

In this story: Letitia James · Kathy Hochul · Cornell University · Sofia Quintanar · New York

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