Cornell defendant asks judge to gag Jane Doe's lawyer
Diego Sarabia, a Cornell fraternity defendant, asked a New York judge to bar Jane Doe’s attorney from media comments, citing a risk of jury bias in the ongoing civil assault case.
Diego Sarabia’s legal team filed a request for a gag order to stop Jane Doe’s lawyer from speaking publicly about the case, arguing his media appearances could taint the jury pool. The move highlights the tension between a high‑profile assault lawsuit and the defendants’ effort to control courtroom publicity.
The lawyer for Cornell defendant Diego Sarabia is asking a New York judge to silence Jane Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, from making any further media statements. The request, filed in court documents obtained by TMZ, claims Giuffra’s "nonstop commentary" could "poison the jury pool" before the case even reaches trial.
What makes the filing especially uncomfortable is the defense’s accusation that Giuffra has been treating the lawsuit as a television production rather than a legal proceeding. Sarabia’s attorneys allege that the plaintiff’s counsel has been coordinating with reporters, turning the alleged assault into a media circus. The same filing points to Giuffra’s own interviews in which he accused Cornell of a cover‑up, claimed evidence was destroyed, and suggested additional fraternity members might have been involved.
What we know
- Diego Sarabia is one of seven men named in a civil lawsuit filed by a Jane Doe who alleges she was gang‑raped in October 2024 at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house.
- The lawsuit has generated national outrage and intense scrutiny of Cornell University’s handling of the allegations.
- According to court documents, Sarabia’s lawyer is seeking a gag order that would apply to both parties, limiting public statements about the case and prohibiting the sharing of private information or undisclosed evidence.
- The filing references TMZ reporting from Oct. 6, which covered Giuffra’s claims that fraternity members were more concerned with protecting themselves than securing justice.
- Sarabia’s legal team argues that Giuffra’s media campaign is not a spontaneous frenzy but a coordinated effort with reporters that began before the lawsuit was filed.
"Orchestrated campaign" – Sarabia’s lawyers describe Giuffra’s media push.
The proposed gag order would be a rare move in a civil case that has already attracted widespread media attention
The court had not ruled on the request as of TMZ's report.
Sources
File photo: Axel Tschentscher / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0