News By/Courtesy: Jeetsingh Rathore | 14 Jan 2022 0:49am IST

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Prince Andrew is to face sexual assault charges in the United States
  • Prince Andrew to return his royal Patronages to the Queen.
  • Judge Lewis A Kaplan denied Prince Andrew's motion to dismiss

Prince Andrew is to face sexual assault charges in the United States for sexually assaulting a woman named Virginia Giuffre. The prince consistently denied the claims. Judge Lewis A Kaplan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York explained the move to dismiss the complaint in a 46-page opinion. It means that the case against the Duke of York, 61, could be heard later this year in court. Judge Kaplan stated that his decision did not assess whether Ms Giuffre's complaint was "true or false." Ms Giuffre expressed her delight that Prince Andrew's attempt to dismiss the matter had been rejected, and that "evidence relating her charges against him will now be taken." Ms. Giuffre also pointed out in the court documents that she was a victim of sex trafficking and was abused by late billionaire financier Epsiten. Her attorney noted that Judge Kaplan’s ruling on the denying the motion for dismissal of the case, was also a big step in the heroic movement of Virginia raising her voice for the pursuit of justice as a sex trafficking victim.

According to Stephens, the process of postponing every technical point available to them as a matter of law has effectively concluded. Despite Andrew's likelihood of filing an appeal, the case will proceed, and he will be forced to testify about his alleged activities with a 17-year-old. Between 2000 and 2002, Giuffre claimed she met Andrew while travelling regularly with Epstein, according to her lawyers, when she was "on call for Epstein for sexual purposes" and "loaned out to other influential men," including Andrew. According to her lawsuit, she continues to experience considerable emotional and psychological distress and harm. From 1986 through 1996, Andrew was married to Sarah Ferguson.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are their two kids. Prince Andrew in his interview told the BBC newsnight that he doesn’t even recall ever meeting the victim, When Ms Giuffre resolved her damages action against Epstein in 2009, his lawyers pointed to a court agreement between Ms Giuffre and Epstein not to sue anyone else connected to the billionaire. To which, the lawyers of the victim that only the parties of the settlement agreement could benefit from it, and not a "third party". Despite Prince Andrew's denials, Buckingham Palace will want him to settle the matter so the queen can go on without more scandals weakening the monarchy and tarnishing every member of the royal family, according to Mark Stephens, an international law specialist at Howard Kennedy in London. Prince Andrew also lost his military affiliations and royal patronages, which are to be returned to the queen Elizabeth II over ongoing legal battle.

The legal clock is ticking in Virginia Giuffre v Prince Andrew, because Judge Kaplan has established a clear timeline to keep the case going toward a fall trial. He wants to know if his Manhattan court will be requested to issue formal petitions to the UK for help acquiring evidence from London courts in the coming days. This is a standard approach in some international cases, but depending on what Ms Giuffre's team requests, it might become tricky and political. By mid-May, he wants to know who will be the witnesses for each side. Ms Giuffre's team will be urging the prince's lawyers to reveal evidence while all of this is going on. Their new demands, which are stated in court filings, include information regarding a medical ailment that prevented him from sweating 20 years ago, as well as evidence to back up his claim that he was at Pizza Express in Woking on the day Ms Giuffre claims he abused her. If the evidence exists, he must comply with these requirements. Witnesses will have filed their depositions by mid-July. This entails an out-of-court formal recording of their testimony under oath. Virginia Giuffre can seek an automatic decision in her favour at the end of the month if Prince Andrew refuses to cooperate.

Section Editor: Nandakishore V Menon | 19 Jan 2022 13:02pm IST


Tags : #Sextrafficiking #UK #US #sexualabuse #Queen #Royalpower #complaint #Prince

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