According to the public prosecutor’s office, the elements of the offense could not be proven beyond doubt.
Andrew Cuomo in New York after announcing his resignation (August, 2020).
(Reuters / dpa) / ran. A suspected sex crime charge against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will not be pursued. The responsible New York prosecutor has stated that he could not prove the elements of the offense beyond doubt. After a thorough examination, it has been shown that the high requirements for a criminal trial could not be met, said the authority in Albany, the capital of the state, on Tuesday.
Albany County’s District Attorney David Soares said in a statement Tuesday that his office was investigating a complaint made by a former Cuomos employee. Soares said he found them cooperative and credible. “Like most New Yorkers, I am deeply concerned about allegations like these,” said Soares. “Such behavior has no place in government or at work.”
Andrew Cuomo resigned after a decade as governor in August after eleven women alleged sexual harassment in a state investigation. Last year, an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo had sexually harassed several employees of the state authorities. Among other things, there were unwanted touches, kisses, hugs and inappropriate comments. In addition, the governor had created a “hostile working atmosphere” and a “climate of fear” for women, according to the investigation report.
The specific indictment concerned an employee in her early 30s. She said that Cuomo grabbed her by the chest in 2020. In October, the Albany County Sheriff filed a lawsuit against it. It is the most serious individual case among all the allegations. The plaintiff reported through her lawyer that she now intends to file a civil lawsuit against Cuomo.
Other regional prosecutors have investigated some of other women’s complaints, closed their investigations and declined to bring charges.