Prince Andrew continues to face criticisms amid the investigation of his alleged involvement to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The Duke of York vehemently denied the claims of alleged victim Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of committing sexual assault and battery upon her.
In May 2020, it was announced that Prince Andrew would permanently resign from all public roles over his alleged ties with Jeffrey Epstein. The former husband of Sarah Ferguson also stated that he is willing to help law enforcement agencies in their investigations, adding that he “unequivocally” regrets the “ill-judged association.”
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Prince Harry Shock: Meghan Markle's Husband 'Desperate' To Return To U.K. Because Of This? Royal Collaborates With Serena Williams For A Cause
Now, a U.S. legal expert described Prince Andrew’s alleged strategy to “attack and blame” Virginia Giuffre as “incredibly risky.” Keep on reading to know more details.
Lawyers Defending Prince Andrew By Attacking Virginia Giuffre?
As per Express UK, Moira Penza, former Assistant US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, told BBC the filing, where Prince Andrew admitted to seeing Jeffrey Epstein but denied sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre, was the type she expected. She stated that defenses raised in the document provide an insight into the Duke of York and his lawyers defending the case by simply attacking and blaming the alleged victim.
The lawyer explained how Prince Andrew was required to answer the complaints of Virginia Giuffre or risk a default judgment. Moira added the documents showed the father of Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice is keeping his options open as to how he would answer to the allegations as more pieces of evidence emerge.
On the snap of Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre, Moira Penza said:
"What I think is happening there is you're never going to admit in this sort of filing, 'Yes, what Virginia Giuffre is saying about that photograph is true'. That just would never happen at this stage in the proceeding. But what he's doing is he's keeping options open, depending on how the facts play out in discovery over the course of a trial where perhaps he can make arguments as to why he's in that photograph, when that photograph might have been taken, what the circumstances were around that photograph, rather than it being specifically tied to sexual assault of Virginia Giuffre."
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Billions Season 6 Episode 2 Release Date, Spoilers & Where To Watch Online: Is Chuck In Trouble? Mike Prince To Start His New Plans After Losing His Employees' Trust
The lawyer also commented on the report about Prince Andrew’s request for a jury trial, saying:
"I wouldn't necessarily focus on this as a PR move. I think what is happening here is that there is a misunderstanding of what this document is and that this is a very standard document. First and foremost, as soon as Virginia Giuffre issued a jury demand in her original complaint, that means that there is going to be a jury trial if we end up at a trial in this case. There is a constitutional right under the Seventh Amendment to a trial by jury, including in civil cases in the United States. It is very common to also see a defendant issue an answer with a jury demand. It's difficult to say that it was necessarily a PR move. It's certainly not a statement that he is looking to go to the mat with Virginia Giuffre. That may be how his lawyers would want to spin it. It may just have been a way the media interpreted it not necessarily understanding the legal process and how that plays out. No matter what, it really is meaningless in this context."
Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg said Prince Andrew’s demand for a jury trial suggested that the duke was saying “bring it on.” He told BBC Breakfast:
"Those [a trial by jury] are certainly the words with which this page 11 defense ends but it was Virginia Giuffre who asked for a jury trial, demanded a jury trial, in her claim. And so what you've really got here is Prince Andrew saying, 'Bring it on. You want a jury trial? I want a jury trial. You want to bring these claims? Well, in that case, you have to prove everything that you're saying, because I'm not going to admit to anything'."
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Prince Harry Heartbreak: Meghan Markle's Husband Told To Shut Up Amid Security Row? Sussex Couple Reportedly Starts Working On Their Lucrative Netflix And Spotify Projects
Joshua Rozenberg furthered that the case could still settle out of court. However, Prince Andrew has maintained that he denies all the claims of Virginia Giuffre. To recall, Virginia sued the son of Queen Elizabeth in August 2021 for allegedly battering her while Jeffrey Epstein was trafficking her.
What Will Happen If Prince Andrew Loses At Trial?
Should Virginia Giuffre win at trial, Prince Andrew could be indebted her damages. The alleged victim of the Duke of York has reportedly asked for an unstipulated amount. The brother of Prince Charles has not been criminally charged and no criminal charge can be brought in Virginia’s civil lawsuit.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected the request of Prince Andrew to shelve the case of Virginia Giuffre, which the duke said he was spared from under the 2009 Epstein settlement. The royal renewed that argument in Wednesday’s filing, adding that Virginia lacks legal standing to sue since she lives in Australia.
Lawyers of Prince Andrew had previously called Virginia Giuffre’s case “baseless” and accused her of seeking another payday. She reportedly received $500,000 in the 2009 civil settlement with Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, judge Kaplan has said a trial could commence between September and December 2022.
Stay tuned to EpicStream for the latest news and updates about Prince Andrew!
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Pop Culture