Man Accused in Cornell Sex Assault Wants James Removed as Prosecutor Attorney General Letitia James should step down from leading the investigation into a former student’s claim that she was sexually assaulted in 2024, a lawyer for one of the men said. One of the men accused in the Cornell University sexual assault lawsuit has asked for the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, to be removed from leading the investigation into the incident.

The petition by the man, Gillio Lopes, called for Ms. James to be replaced as special prosecutor because of comments she made on social media soon after the allegations against several former fraternity members at the Ivy League school became public. The request was filed in State Supreme Court in Albany.

Mr. Lopes has unequivocally denied the allegations, his lawyer has said.

The other men have also denied any wrongdoing, and no criminal charges have been filed against any of them. Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Ms. James last week to investigate the allegations made by Jane Doe, whose lawsuit contends that what began as a consensual sexual encounter on Oct. 19, 2024, spiraled into a prolonged, drug-fueled attack inside a fraternity house by several men.

Mr. Lopes’s lawyer asked the court, to remove Ms. James and appoint a different special prosecutor “who is free from actual or perceived conflicts of interest or bias” against their client or the others named in the lawsuit. The offices of Ms. James and Ms. Hochul did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Mr. Lopes was suspended from the university following an administrative process, according to discipline summaries obtained by The New York Times. A three-member panel, which met on Zoom over 12 days in May 2025, handed down a three-semester suspension for Mr. Lopes and two years of probation, the summaries show.