Monday, March 20, 2023

Prince Andrew seeks trial by jury in civil sex abuse case

Tea

The Duke of York is seeking trial by jury in a civil sex case brought against him by Virginia Giuffre.

Ms Giuffre, also known as Virginia Roberts, alleged that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her at three different locations between 2000 and 2002.

The Duke presented 11 reasons why the case should be dismissed, including Ms Giuffre’s claims “barred by the principle of consent” and by “her own wrongdoing”.

In the court document, which stated their reasons for requesting the dismissal of the case, Andrew’s lawyers concluded: “Prince Andrew hereby calls for a trial by jury on all causes of action set forth in the complaint.”

Among Ms Giuffre’s allegations, she accused Andrew of sexual abuse at the home of disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in London, the New York mansion of pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and Epstein’s private island, Little St James.

Judge Louis A. Kaplan had previously rejected Duke’s application to dismiss the case. The prince has consistently denied Ms Giuffre’s claims.

In the 11-page document, Andrew also reportedly denied that he was “close friends” with socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted last month of five counts of child sex trafficking and sentenced to 65 years had to face jail.

The document was filed Wednesday by Los Angeles attorneys Andrew Breitler and Melissa Lerner in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Prince Andrew – who had already stepped back from royal duties – was stripped of his honorary military title in the wake of the judge’s decision not to throw the case earlier in January.

Virginia Giuffre alleges that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her at three different places between 2000 and 2002

, PA Media

Epstein, 66, took his own life in Manhattan federal prison in August 2019 while he awaits trial on sex trafficking charges.

After the filing, attorney David Boise, who is representing Ms Giuffre in her lawsuit against Andrew, said her client and legal team were looking forward to “confronting” the royal about her “denial”. .

Mr Bois said: “Prince Andrew’s reply continues his approach of denying any knowledge or information in relation to the claims against him, and blaming the victim of the abuse to bring it upon himself in any way.

“We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempting to convict Ms Giuffre of her own abuse in her statement and trial.”

Andrew’s filing was an “answer,” a common document in US lawsuits in which defendants deny or say they do not have enough information to comment on plaintiffs’ actual allegations.

Prince’s lawyers had previously called Ms Giuffre’s trial “baseless” and accused her of seeking “one more payday at her expense”.

Giuffre received $500,000 in a civil settlement with Epstein in 2009.

Judge Kaplan has said a trial could begin between September and December 2022.

If Ms. Giuffre wins the trial, Andrew may have to pay for her losses. He has demanded an unspecified amount.

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Nation World News Desk
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