New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking outside legal counsel to assist with the investigation into sexual assault allegations involving seven Cornell University fraternity members, according to The New York Post.
Attorneys for two of the men have argued that James’ public expression of support for the accuser before taking over the investigation raises questions about her ability to remain impartial.
A woman identified as Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit alleging that seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her at a party in October 2024.
The Tompkins County district attorney reopened the criminal investigation in September after the lawsuit raised questions about how authorities initially handled her allegations. The men have denied wrongdoing, and none has been criminally charged.
As BIN reported, James’ appointment as special prosecutor came three days after she publicly expressed support for Doe, writing on social media, “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable.”
The New York Post reported that James’ office interviewed several former federal prosecutors for the outside counsel role. The outlet identified Maggie Gandy, a former Brooklyn federal prosecutor, as a potential candidate.
However, spokesperson Alexis Richards said she had not heard Gandy was being considered and cautioned the outlet against reporting it.
Andrew Miltenberg, an attorney for accused fraternity member Gillio Lopes, challenged James’ appointment, arguing that her public comments raised concerns about her impartiality.
Attorneys for another accused man, Winston Lee, have also sought to disqualify James from future grand jury proceedings.
Civil rights attorney Norman Siegel supported bringing in outside counsel, telling the Post, “It’s prudent for the attorney general to appoint an outside attorney to lead and assist the case at this point. It will address some of the optics that have been raised.”
Former Queens prosecutor James Quinn questioned James’ decision to take the case. “It’s one mistake after another,” he said, adding that hiring an independent lawyer “is the only thing to do.”
Richards said the search for outside counsel began before calls for James to recuse herself. The attorney general’s Criminal Justice Division is leading the investigation and has consulted with the local district attorney and Doe’s attorney.
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