Prince Andrew Claims ‘Consent’ in Defense of Allegations He Had Sex With 17-Year-Old Epstein Victim

Prince Andrew’s attorneys requested a U.S. courtroom once more Wednesday to throw out a lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse, citing a number of authorized defenses.

Amongst them: The attorneys stated that if any sexual exercise did happen between the prince and Virginia Giuffre, it was consensual.

The courtroom submitting made clear that Andrew wasn’t admitting sexual contact with Giuffre. However it stated if the case wasn’t dismissed, the protection needs a trial through which it could argue that her abuse claims “are barred by the doctrine of consent.”

Lawyer David Boies, representing Giuffre, responded in a press release asserting Andrew “continues his method of denying any data or data in regards to the claims in opposition to him, and purporting accountable the sufferer of the abuse for in some way bringing it on herself.”
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The protection request was filed in federal courtroom in Manhattan, the place Giuffre sued Andrew in August. The American accused the British royal of sexually abusing her when she was 17 whereas she traveled with financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has strenuously denied Giuffre’s allegations and tried to get the lawsuit tossed. Earlier this month, Choose Lewis A. Kaplan rejected his try and win an early dismissal, permitting depositions and different proof gathering by each events to maneuver ahead.

Wednesday’s response was filed by Los Angeles attorneys Andrew Brettler and Melissa Lerner. They are saying the swimsuit also needs to be dismissed on a number of different grounds, arguing the civil litigation in opposition to the prince ought to be barred as a result of Giuffre is a everlasting resident of Australia and certain by a settlement between Epstein and Giuffre.

Giuffre asserted that she met Andrew whereas she traveled incessantly with Epstein between 2000 and 2002, when her attorneys keep she was “on name for Epstein for sexual functions” and was “lent out to different highly effective males,” together with Andrew. Her lawsuit stated she nonetheless suffers vital emotional and psychological misery and hurt.

Within the wake of the decide’s resolution earlier in January, Prince Andrew—who had already stepped again from royal duties—was stripped of his honorary navy titles.

Epstein, 66, took his personal life in a Manhattan federal lockup in August 2019 whereas he awaited trial on intercourse trafficking prices. Giuffre has additionally leveled allegations at Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime companion, however was not a part of the felony case that ended not too long ago with Maxwell’s conviction on intercourse trafficking prices.

The Related Press doesn’t sometimes determine individuals who say they’re victims of sexual assault except they select to come back ahead publicly, as Giuffre has.