THE BARE STORY
A defendant in litigation connected to sexual-assault allegations at a Cornell University fraternity house has asked a judge to remove New York Attorney General Letitia James from a criminal investigation, according to a court filing.
Winston Lee joined fellow Chi Phi fraternity member Gillio Lopes in challenging James’ role as special prosecutor. Lee’s lawyer argued that public statements by James and Governor Kathy Hochul created an appearance of bias. James said her office would conduct an impartial review based on the evidence, facts and law, while Hochul expressed confidence in the attorney general’s ability to handle the matter.
The allegations were made by a Cornell student identified as Jane Doe, who told campus police in November 2024 that she had been assaulted at the Chi Phi house weeks earlier. The accused men have denied wrongdoing, through investigators, public statements or lawyers. No criminal charges have been filed, according to the Tompkins County district attorney’s account.
Separately, Cornell trustees selected former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review the university’s handling of the matter. Cornell said its internal process included more than 50 interviews and 12 days of hearings, resulting in expulsions, suspensions and findings that two students were not responsible for misconduct. Yates’ review is to examine whether Cornell followed its procedures and applicable federal and state law.
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