New York state Attorney General Letitia James laughed off questions concerning the Cornell gang rape case that she has been tasked with investigating.
asserted
she → laugh → case
James was appointed to lead an ongoing criminal investigation into the claims that the seven fraternity brothers with Chi Phi sexually assaulted a young woman known only as Jane Doe while she was under the influence of drugs.
uncertain
she → appoint → drugs
At a campaign event in New York City on Sunday, James nervously laughed off questions from The New York Post over her part in the investigation.
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James → laugh → investigation
She said: 'We're here today to talk about elections, early elections.
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We → say → elections
I want to talk about early elections.
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I → want → elections
'Cornell's very serious, and we'll have something to say about that too,' she continued.
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she → have → that
James was appointed to lead an ongoing criminal investigation into the claims that the seven fraternity brothers did partake in a gang rape.
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brothers → appoint → rape
In response to that, a lawyer for one of the accused, Gillio Lopes, filed a petition seeking to block her from the role.
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lawyer → accuse → role
Attorney Andrew Miltenberg argued that statements of support from James to the alleged victim prior to her leading the investigation demonstrated a bias.
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her → argue → bias
At a campaign event in New York City on Sunday, James nervously laughed off questions from The New York Post, the outlet said.
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outlet → laugh → Post
She is seen here on Friday speaking at an event
The closed chapter house of Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity is seen here
In response, James' office asked a judge to dismiss the petition saying that the petition should be denied because the claims are 'premature' and lack merit.
The outlet asked if she would step aside on Sunday, to which she said: 'We're gonna have something to say about that too, but today is about early elections.
uncertain
today → see → elections
According to The Post, James is planning to hire outside counsel to investigate the seven.
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James → accord → seven
Jane Doe, claimed she was coerced into taking drugs and sexually assaulted by seven members of the now-defunct Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024 at a party.
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she → claim → party
It was there that Doe claims she was sexually assaulted by Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, the lawsuit claimed.
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lawsuit → claim → Ingalls
They have all denied any wrongdoing and no criminal charges have been filed.
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charges → deny → wrongdoing
Doe claimed that the seven men engaged in sexual acts with her while she was 'completely incapacitated' and without her consent.
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she → claim → consent
She says the ordeal continued until she lost consciousness.
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she → say → consciousness
She said the men manipulated her into ingesting ketamine and alcohol, and that other men entered the room while she was incapacitated, the lawsuit said.
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lawsuit → say → room
She also alleged that Snapchat messages describing her as sexually available to anyone at the house circulated among fraternity members without her knowledge.
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messages → allege → knowledge
Umar Matthew Ingalls and Jonathan Newell were expelled from the school after Jane Doe accused seven fraternity members of gang raping her in October 2024
This is the room in the Chi Phi fraternity house where Doe alleges she was sexually assaulted and exploited by seven men on October 19, 2024.
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she → expel → October
The image was obtained by ABC
Doe claimed the night took a turn when Newell allegedly posted in a fraternity Snapchat group that there was 'free p***y' upstairs
Doe, who has accused several Chi Phi brothers of sexual assault in October 2024, initially named Orazio Petito in her civil lawsuit.
Petito, whom she mistakenly identified as the chapter's president, was not accused of sexual assault.
uncertain
she → obtain → assault
He has now been dropped from her complaint, according to a notice of discontinuance filed Tuesday.
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He → drop → discontinuance
Petito's lawyer, Eric Bernstein, says the case against his client was dismissed because he was not serving as president of the Xi Chapter of Chi Phi at the time of the alleged assault.
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he → say → assault
The identity of the actual president remains unclear.
uncertain
identity → remain → president
'We're pleased with the dismissal of the case against my client, and justice was served,' the attorney told Newsday.
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attorney → please → Newsday
Doe, then a 20-year-old sophomore, reported the alleged assault to Cornell police in November 2024, three weeks after she said it occurred.
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it → report → November
Campus police investigated and sent a summary of their findings to the district attorney's office, which relied on the information in deciding not to bring criminal charges.
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which → investigate → charges
Separately, Cornell conducted a Title IX investigation.
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Cornell → conduct → investigation
The Chi Phi chapter at Cornell was shut down, and the university has said it expelled some students and suspended others.
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it → shut → others
Cornell last week suspended all parties and social events at fraternity houses through the end of the 2026-27 academic year and implemented a new 'zero tolerance' policy that would immediately suspend chapters for violations.
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that → suspend → violations
Crimes reported on Cornell's campus are generally investigated by campus police, a department that has full law enforcement powers but is controlled by the university.
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that → report → university
The campus police force operates independently from municipal police in Ithaca, New York, where the university is located.
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university → operate → Ithaca
Its officers investigated the 2024 gang rape allegations and presented their initial findings to the Tompkins County district attorney, who declined to prosecute within weeks of the woman making her first report to police.
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woman → investigate → police
The Aporia
