New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently appointed James as a special prosecutor to look into the incident and assess how law enforcement and the university initially responded to the allegations brought by the woman identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe.
Jane Doe alleges that the university failed to protect her after she was reportedly drugged and raped by the men for several hours at a fraternity party.
Just prior to her appointment, James posted on X: “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable.”
She continued, “I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you are not alone. We stand with you.”
The lawyer representing one of the seven accused argued that those remarks disqualify James from serving as special prosecutor.
In a statement provided to the BBC’s U.S. media partner, CBS News, the lawyer said James’s comments conflict with the requirement to “independently evaluate the evidence.”
“This is not an accusation that Attorney General James is corrupt, acting in bad faith, or incapable of performing her duties professionally,” the statement said.
“Nor am I suggesting that a court has found her legally disqualified. The issue is narrower: an avoidable question now hangs over this investigation, and a voluntary recusal would eliminate it.”
During a news conference, Governor Hochul and James were questioned about impartiality concerns, and Hochul said James would “follow the facts.”
“She will examine the evidence and go wherever it leads; if the evidence supports charges, she will pursue them,” Hochul added.
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