Miltenberg tells the court James's appointment cannot restore confidence
Andrew T. MiltenbergAttorney for Gillio Lopes, arguing in court
Arguing for Lopes in court, Miltenberg says people lost confidence in Cornell's investigation and in the Tompkins County district attorney's approach, and that keeping James would again leave the public without confidence in the result.
“We got here because people were not satisfied with the investigation done by Cornell and the results of that. We’re here because people were not satisfied with the Tompkins County district attorney’s approach to this. Why do we need to put the people of this state in the position of again lacking confidence in the result?”
Reporting
Other statements by Andrew T. Miltenberg in this case
- Miltenberg says James cannot be a neutral Cornell investigatorEarlier: Condemned
Where this statement fits
Was Kathy Hochul right to appoint Letitia James as special prosecutor in the Cornell case?
Governor Kathy Hochul appoints Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the alleged October 2024 sexual assault at Cornell and pursue prosecution if warranted. Hochul says an independent investigation is needed after questions about the campus police and local district attorney's handling. John Ziegler denounces the appointment, while Benjamin Ryan questions whether James's earlier public statement compromises her impartiality.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
CNN reports from the hearing on Gillio Lopes's petition. The judge did not rule; he gave Lopes's lawyer until November 5 to address the other men's positions.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Farrell asks Miltenberg why the other six men are not part of the petition and whether removing James for one client would leave different prosecutors for different defendants. Miltenberg then returns to his main argument.
After the quotation
Outside court, Miltenberg tells reporters that some of the other lawyers have contacted him about joining the effort. The attorney general's office later says the claims are without merit.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The matter under scrutiny is James's appointment. Miltenberg asks the court to void it and argues that her role would undermine public confidence in the investigation.
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The Dispute Index. "Miltenberg tells the court James's appointment cannot restore confidence". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7624-arguing-for-lopes-in-court-miltenberg-says-people