Letitia James faces new push to boot her from Cornell rape probe over alleged bias: court docs

A lawyer representing one of the men accused in a civil lawsuit of raping Cornell University's "Jane Doe" has formally requested that New York Attorney General Letitia James be removed from the criminal investigation, alleging she is biased and prejudged the case before being appointed as special prosecutor.Teny Geragos, daughter of prominent criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos, filed a motion Thursday in Tompkins County court arguing that James' previous public statements in support of the accuser have "prejudiced grand jurors."The motion cited a social media post made by James on Sept.28, the same day local prosecutor Matthew Van Houten announced he would be reopening the case."What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable.

I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers," James wrote."To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone.

We stand with you."Defense attorney Teny Geragos, seen at the Manhattan Federal Courthouse on July 2, 2025, filed a motion on behalf of her client on Oct.8, 2026, arguing that New York Attorney General Letitia James should be removed as special prosecutor in the Cornell University rape probe.

(Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)CORNELL PICKS FORMER DEPUTY US ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REVIEW SEX ASSAULT RESPONSEGeragos argued that this showed James believed the seven men in the fraternity who were named in the prior civil lawsuit were guilty "despite not having examined a shred of evidence" up to that point."The public cannot, and should not, have any confidence in the investigation or charging decisions of someone who has clearly prejudged the guilt of individuals who the law presumes are innocent," Geragos wrote in the filing."The AG should be removed."She also accused New York Governor Kathy Hochul of selecting James because of her "prejudicial public statements" about the case, arguing that the governor expects the investigation to produce a particular outcome.New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New ...