Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Prince Andrew Rejected in Effort to Get US Sexual Abuse Case Dismissed

THE GUARDIAN: Virginia Giuffre’s civil claim against duke can move forward, federal judge rules in New York

This article contains descriptions of sexual abuse

Prince Andrew last year. Virginia Giuffre alleges Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell forced her into sex with the duke when she was 17. Andrew denies the allegation. Photograph: Reuters

Longtime Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit against him can move forward, as a New York judge rejected the royal’s efforts to dismiss her civil claim on Wednesday.

Giuffre, who has alleged that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sexually abused her, said they forced her into sex with the Duke of York at age 17. She filed suit against the royal on 9 August, citing battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Prince Andrew’s legal team had argued in court papers and proceedings that Giuffre’s 2009 settlement with Epstein shielded him from her lawsuit. The settlement, which was unsealed on 3 January, awarded Giuffre $500,000.

Their agreement contained a provision that stated: “Second parties and any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant … from all, and all manner of, action and actions of Virginia [Giuffre], including state or federal, cause and causes of action.”

Andrew was not mentioned by name in this settlement.

In explaining why he rejected Andrew’s motion to dismiss, Manhattan federal court judge Lewis Kaplan said it was premature to consider the prince’s efforts to cast doubt on Giuffre’s accusations. » | Victoria Bekiempis in New York | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Prince Andrew WILL face sex assault lawsuit in US: Royal to be called for dramatic court showdown in New York as judge refuses his attempt to throw out Virginia Roberts's case accusing him of having sex with her when she was 17: Prince Andrew hoped Epstein's $500,000 settlement to drop Giuffre's claims would help dismiss her case / Duke of York's lawyers claimed it contained a clause that prevented her pursuing friends of Epstein / But New York Judge Kaplan threw Andrew's application out of court today, paving the way for civil trial / Ms Giuffre claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times in 2001 at Epstein's multiple homes / Andrew now faces being deposed and giving evidence at a trial penciled in for the US courts in September »

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Die Klage gegen Prinz Andrew wird nicht fallengelassen: Der Sohn der Queen ist mit seinem Versuch gescheitert, eine Zivilklage, in der ihm Virginia Giuffre sexuelle Übergriffe vorwirft, von einem US-Richter abweisen zu lassen. »

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