US judge skeptical of Andrew Andrew’s offer to dismiss sexual abuse allegations

By Jonathan Stempel and Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A U.S. judge was skeptical on Tuesday that Britain’s Prince Andrew had rejected Virginia Giuffre’s case for sexually abusing the Duke of York at the age of 17 and accused him of trading former financier Jeffrey Epstein.

U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan of Manhattan is evaluating the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Giuffre in Florida, according to the 61-year-old prince’s lawyers, who say he protects Andrew from 38-year-old Giuffre’s claims.

The agreement included a general statement that several people who would be “permanently released” could be included as “potential defendants” in a civil lawsuit filed by Giuffre against Epstein, who paid $ 500,000 https://www.reuters.com/world/ us / prince-andrew-accusers-with-epstein-be-made-public-part-civil-suit-2022-01-03.

Andrew has denied Giuffre’s allegations that he was forced to have sex more than two decades ago at the London home of former Epstein member Ghislaine Maxwell, and that Epstein had abused her in two other properties.

At a court hearing, Los Angeles’ attorney for Prince Andrew Brettler said Queen Elizabeth’s second son was protected from Giuffre’s claims when he agreed with Epstein, which he did not accept responsibility for.

“The ‘potential defendant’ is someone who could have been charged in that case, but he wasn’t,” Brettler said. “I think it’s safe to say that Prince Andrew could have been prosecuted in Florida in 2009.”

But the judge said the key issue was what Giuff and Epstein wanted, and stated that “we don’t have Mr. Epstein here” to explain the widespread release he wanted.

“We’re talking about whether there are two or more reasonable interpretations,” Kaplan told Brettler. “I understand your point of view. I understand the other point of view.”

Giuffre’s lawyer, David Boies, said the deal did not forgive Prince Andrew because Giuffre did not claim the prince was “a trafficker” but “someone who traded in girls”.

Kaplan said he would resolve Andrew’s release motion “fairly soon.” The judge said a lawsuit could be filed between September and December if no solution is reached.

Epstein killed himself at the age of 66 in a Manhattan prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking.

Maxwell, 60, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/maxwell-jury-resume-deliberations-after-judge-warns-omicron-risk-2021-12-29, December 29, for recruitment and 1994 and Decorating Epstein Abuse Girls in 2004. Giuffre’s accusations were not included in the case, and he did not testify.

‘GREAT LOAD’

Although the prince is not charged with criminal offenses, his ties to Epstein have cost him many royal duties and have damaged his reputation. His problems grew after critics said he failed in a 2019 BBC interview https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-royals-andrew/britains-prince-andrew-categorically-denies-sex-claims-idUSKBN1XP2CX appear sympathetic to Epstein’s victims of abuse.

Giuffre sued Andrew, less than a week before the expiration of a New York law, giving the prosecution a two-year period to file claims for alleged child abuse that occurred a long time ago.

Andrew said he was seeking another “salary” in a campaign against former members like Giuffre Epstein and Maxwell, and demanded $ 50 million in a defamation lawsuit filed in 2015.

At the hearing, Brettler said it was “inherently unfair and unfair” for Giuff to wait so long to sue, and subject the prince to the “enormous burden” of finding witnesses and materials to defend himself from his decades-long claims.

Kaplan rejected Brettler’s claim because Giuffre had not provided sufficient details about the prince’s alleged abuses.

“He has no obligation to do so in a complaint,” Kaplan told Brettler. “I’m telling you that right now, right now. It’s not going to happen.”